Love Thy Enemy
by chipmouskin
Summary: Aerith is part Cetra, a 1st Class Mage, and most importantly, Shinra's secret weapon. Zack Fair is a country boy from Gongaga, living with an incurable, life-altering condition, and a hatred for Shinra. Can they save each other?
1. Prelude

**Prelude**

Professor Hojo's test subjects had escaped from Icicle Inn. Furious that the last Cetras had fled, he sent out search parties, and interception points were set up in all the cities around the world. They were short on help, as the war in Wutai had begun, but it was enough. They were to be returned upon capture. However, just the smallest decision could change the outcome of everything, as one Turk was about to find out.

* * *

On the train to Midgar, Iflana held her daughter's hand, trying to stay awake. She had been severely weakened by her wounds, but she had to get her daughter to safety. More importantly, she had to pass on the last means of saving the planet to her daughter.

"Aerith," she said softly, catching her daughter's attention. "Listen to me. I have to give you something."

"What is it, mommy?" her seven year old asked, eyes wide and concerned. Iflana pulled out a small white ball, crystalline in appearance, glowing softly in the palm of her hand.

"This...its materia. Magic. Its called Holy."

Her daughter took it hesitantly, smiling when she took the materia from her mother and felt the warmth coming from it.

"What does it do?"

"It will save the planet, should the time come. It is the only way to stop Meteor, should someone find the black materia."

"Mommy...?" her daughter asked, clearly confused.

"Its okay. You will understand in time. But for now, just listen. A time may come when you are needed to save the Planet. That is when you should follow the voice. It will lead you where to go, and you will know how to work Holy."

"Okay," her daughter nodded, gripping the materia tightly in her hand. Iflana winced as another pang of pain shot through her.

"You're a good girl," she said softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Mommy." Aerith answered, hugging her mother. Iflana closed her eyes as the train drew ever closer to Midgar.

**A/N: Attack of the plot bunny! Alternate universe. See the next chapter for more. (;**


	2. The Beginning

**Chapter 1: The Beginning**

**Midgar, 1992**

The war in Wutai was in full effect, and many of the Turks and SOLDIERS, including the great Sephiroth, a legend already, at the ripe age of 15, were off fighting in the foreign land. One young Turk, however, was still stationed in Midgar, and was now watching the small crowd at the train station dwindle to barely a trickle as the last passengers got off the train. He watched, and waited. The train whistled shrilly, and he sighed internally, realizing that they must not be on the train. Word was, the two had escaped from Icicle Inn and had been spotted headed toward Midgar. Just as he pulled away from the wall to leave, he heard the cry of a little girl.

"Mommy!"

He turned, excitement rising in him. They _were_ here. An older woman stumbled out of the train, clutching her side, and a small girl, no older than seven, gripping her mother's dress. The woman collapsed to the ground, gasping, and the little girl started to cry. The Turk hurried forward, trying to ignore the sympathy he felt for the woman.

"Help my Mommy, please," pleaded the little girl as she spotted him. Then she paused, looking hesitant. He didn't blame her – she had spent her whole life being experimented on...it was only natural that she was wary.

"I don't think I can help her," the Turk said slowly, crouching down to the little girl's level. "But I can help you."

"I want you to save her!" she cried, tears running down her cheeks. She turned away from him and knelt over her mother, shaking her softly. "Wake up, mommy..."

The Turk swallowed heavily, his heart twisting. How cruel, for this girl to watch her mother die before her.

"She's...gone," the little girl hiccuped, and she looked at him with such certainty in her eyes that it unnerved him. "Where do I live now?" she asked, sniffling.

"I could help you," he said, trying to smile pleasantly. The girl sniffled again, wiping at her cheeks. "I could take you somewhere safe. No one will hurt you there." She merely stared at him with wide eyes, hiccuping occasionally.

"My name is Tseng," he said, offering his hand toward her. "What's yours?"

"I...I'm Aerith."

"Why don't you come with me, Aerith? I'll take good care of you. You can have a whole new family to take care of you..."

With a final glance back at her mother, Aerith took Tseng's hand and nodded shakily. "Okay..."

* * *

Aerith stared up at the large building, her eyes wide, nervousness flitting through her stomach. She missed her mother – but this man, he seemed so nice, with his brown eyes and kind smile. She wanted to trust him, even though the voice in her head was telling her not to. She didn't want to listen to the voice in her head, though. She didn't understand it – she knew it wasn't normal. She didn't like the voice that told her that her mother was dead.

Tseng led her into the building and she stared in amazement, eyes taking in the shiny elevators and impressive stairways – and there were a lot, she noted. She followed him into an elevator, and she watched the numbers change as they were pulled upward – it stopped on floor 51, and he gently tugged on her hand, and she walked along willingly.

"Ah, Tseng, who do you have here?" a man with blonde hair and an expensive suit asked.

"Hello, Director Lazard. This is Aerith – she was on the train, just as we were told. Her mother...died."

"This is the little girl Hojo was experimenting on?"

When the man – Lazard – mentioned Hojo, Aerith squirmed and tried to pull away from Tseng. "No!" she shouted. "I'm not going back to that man."

"Don't worry," Tseng said, crouching down next to her again. "We won't let him do anything to you. I told you, we're going to take good care of you."

"Yes, calm yourself, Aerith," Lazard said. "Do you know anything about SOLDIER?"

"No," she said, still wishing she could run away. But Tseng had a grip on her hand, and he wasn't letting go.

"Well, they're special. Just like you – and we take care of them. We're all like family, here. Would you like to be a part of that?"

"A family?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, a family," the man repeated and he smiled. He seemed nice, too.

"I would like that...are there other kids my age?" she asked, forgetting her fear as excitement swelled up in her.

"Not in SOLDIER," he said, shaking his head. "But Tseng might be able to help you. Didn't you just find that girl...what was her name?"

"Cissnei," he replied, turning to Aerith again. "She's about your age."

"Can I go meet her now?" Aerith asked.

"Certainly," Tseng agreed.

"Tseng," Lazard interrupted. "Make sure you keep Hojo away..."

"Agreed."

* * *

_**Gaia had lost the last Ancient to Shinra, the very same corporation that was draining away its life force. Through a series of various treatments, the planet had slowly lost its connection to the young girl, and eventually, could no longer make its voice be heard. The Planet knew then that it had to find a new candidate to save it. All it had to do was wait for the right opportunity. **_

_**

* * *

**_

**Gongaga, 1997**

"Zack, don't go near the mako reactor, do you hear me?" his mother said sternly, and Zack, just thirteen years old sighed and nodded.

"Fiiine, Mom," he groaned, having fully planned to go explore around the reactor. Gongaga could be so **boring**, but the reactor was new and exciting!

"I'm serious, young man, it's dangerous."

"I know," he said sullenly, slipping out the front door before his mother could berate him some more. He hated living in the country, with no one else his age around. It was utterly monotonous, but Zack couldn't leave. His father had fallen quite ill, and his mother needed him around to help with money. He felt guilty, but he resented his father's illness. He just wanted to be a kid, but he was being forced to grow up, forced to stay in a stupid little town for the rest of his life.

Feeling rather rebellious, Zack decided to disobey his mother's wishes and explore the mako reactor. After all, what could happen? He wasn't going to break anything, after all – just have a look. With a quick, darting look back at the house, he scurried away until he was out of view of his house, and far from the prying eyes of his mother. He slowed to a stroll, his shoes crunching against the dirt and gravel roads.

Shinra had come and built the mako reactor several months earlier, bringing much needed power to the small town of Gongaga. Zack had been positively wriggling with excitement when Shinra had come. He had hoped to see Sephiroth, the legendary SOLDIER, the **first** SOLDIER, famous for his war efforts in Wutai. Zack wanted to be just like him – the same as almost any young boy his age. But Sephiroth had not come, just workers from Shinra. Zack had been disappointed – but that didn't stop him from being curious about the reactor itself.

He'd heard about mako, of course – that it was dangerous, but it was also a blessing, giving power to all the towns and cities. He'd even heard there were **eight** in Midgar, the capitol, and headquarters of Shinra. He could hardly imagine the size of a city that would need that many reactors to keep it running. He'd decided it must be a wonderful place. He'd also heard rumors that mako was what made SOLDIERS so strong. He wondered if checking the reactor out would give him the same super strength that SOLDIERS had, and if he could become one, someday. It was his deepest desire to leave Gongaga. He wanted so much more.

Before he knew it, Zack was in front of the reactor. He stopped, taking in a deep breath of awe. It was much larger up close than he had ever anticipated. There was a low hum coming from the reactor, and a thrum that pulsed through the ground, emanating from it.

"Wow..." Zack breathed out, grinning excitedly. "This is amazing..." There were gated fences protecting the reactor, and to keep people out, Zack supposed, but he wasn't a thirteen-year-old boy for nothing. He walked along the edge of the fence until he found a loose spot and he dropped to the ground and squirmed under the fence. The metal scratched at his back, and he was grateful for his tough shirt. With a final grunt, he freed himself from the chain link fence and scrambled upright.

"Yes!" he hissed in victory, smiling broadly. Nervously, but shaking with excitement, Zack stepped toward the mako reactor, eyes wide with curiosity. He wondered how the machine made energy from mako – where did mako come from? The thrumming under his feet seemed to be growing louder, but he ignored it, sliding closer to the machine, trying to see inside the clear, circular window. A green glow was emitting from inside....

The ground began to rumble beneath him, and Zack finally realized that something was wrong. A rush of adrenaline surged through him and he turned from the reactor and ran toward the fence. He didn't waste his time trying to dive under the fence, this time, opting instead to climb over the top, barbed wire be damned. Behind him, he heard the reactor groan dangerously, the sound of metal twisting in his ears. He knew he wasn't going to make it.

"I should have listened," he moaned as he struggled to climb, and then the reactor finally gave out, exploding violently. Zack felt the shockwave hit him like a wall, and debris flew past him; then, the fence he had been climbing bowed down to the power of the blast, and everything in Zack's eyes went dark. He wouldn't wake for a long time.

_**

* * *

The Planet had chosen its new savior, the one who would save everything. **_


	3. Family

**Chapter 2 - Family**

**

* * *

**

** Midgar, February 0001**

Aerith sat in the Briefing Room, tapping the table impatiently. Things at Shinra had been hectic as of late – two 1st Class SOLDIERS had deserted, bringing several 2nd and 3rd Class SOLDIERS with them, as well as stolen research. The mass desertion had left the SOLDIER floor eerily empty. The only good thing was that the war with Wutai had ended several weeks before. Well, and her birthday had been on the 7th. It had been a loud, happy affair, and there had been a large party on the SOLDIER floor, celebrating both her birthday and the victory over Wutai.

But now, more news was troubling her. An anti-Shinra group that had been based in Wutai tried to attack Sector 8 from the sewers. Her friend, a Turk named Cissnei, had been sent down to patrol the area. She, and another Turk, Reno, had stopped the operatives from blowing up Sector 8, but were then defeated by a man named Shears, who was presumably leading the attack.

She had heard this from Tseng, after he finished telling Veld the group's next plan of attack on Junon. Veld was the leader of the Turks, though Tseng was rumored to be the next in command once Veld left. Aerith was worried for Cissnei, though, and was itching to get out and help.

Aerith had found a family within Shinra, strangely enough. She had formed a friendship with Cissnei, the only person her age. The SOLDIERS and Turks had become surrogate parents, in a way, and they all looked out for her. More importantly, they kept Hojo away from her, and stopped him from conducting even more experiments on her. However, as Aerith grew, it became apparent that she was...different. Although the exact nature of the experiments done to her were unknown to everyone (save Hojo himself), they had appeared to give the little girl great magical abilities. With apparent ease, she was able to cast and control even the most difficult materia spells, and she had the ability to heal others without the aid of materia.

Shinra, never the kind of company to pass up opportunities, made it their top priority to train Aerith. She began a strict regime with both the Turks and SOLDIER. She received highly specialized treatments, some which included injections of mako to increase her strength, and multivitamins to keep her healthy.

When Sephiroth returned briefly from Wutai on leave, she was even put through training sessions with him. He remained unmatched in strength and speed, but Aerith had a natural mastery of materia that even Sephiroth could not achieve. She became one of a kind, a class of her own – she had been named, officially, a 1st Class Mage, even though there were no other classes below her, or for that matter, anyone who could be considered a Mage.

With both the Turks and SOLDIER's training, she became Shinra's secret weapon – a person with the skill to assassinate and spy with the subtleties of the Turks, and the strength and speed necessary for brute combat. Mostly, though, she was used as a buffer for others on missions. She could easily cast protective spells and cure injured SOLDIERS or Turks on the job, allowing for easier, quicker missions.

Perhaps the most useful thing, for Shinra, was that she looked deceptively weak. Aerith had grown up to be a beautiful girl, with soft features, bright green eyes, and long brown hair that disarmed most people she met. They would never guess that she was in SOLDIER, much less Shinra's powerful weapon. She had also allied herself with the more powerful people in the corporation, perhaps intentionally, or perhaps just by coincidence. While she was close friends with Cissnei, a prodigy in her own rights, she also looked up to Tseng, who had become her own personal protector, and almost a father-like figure to her, and had created a bond with Sephiroth, who she viewed as an older brother.

The point was, everyone knew not to mess with Aerith, 1st Class Mage.

Somewhere along the line, though, she had forgotten her heritage. She didn't remember being part Cetra, the last of her kind. She couldn't recall why she had a small ball of white materia, or who had given it to her. She couldn't hear the Planet anymore, but she never bothered to find out why.

Right now, though, these things were far from her thoughts. She was waiting to hear from Tseng again. She looked up expectantly at the pneumatic hiss of the doors announced his arrival.

"They're find, just a little banged up. Nothing a good shot of your magic won't heal. Veld has given Cissnei and Reno orders to go to Junon to protect President Shinra."

"I want to go, too," Aerith said decisively, standing up quickly.

"I don't know, Aerith..."  
"I can help, and you know it," she crossed her arms defiantly, daring him to prove her wrong.

"I know you can. But you know how Shinra is. They like to keep you a secret. If the news got out to these anti-shinra groups, they'd do their best to eliminate you."

"I can take care of myself," she huffed, her usually mature facade shifting, making it all the more apparent that she was just a sixteen year old girl.

"I know," he said kindly. "We'll see."

But as it turned out, her wishes were denied. She scowled while she healed Cissnei and Reno, preparing them for their trip to Junon.

"It's not fair," Aerith complained to Cissnei, concentrating her magic on a particularly sore spot on her friend's shoulder.

"It'll be boring anyway," Cissnei assured Aerith. "We're just going to watch after President Shinra. I'm sure nothing will happen."

Aerith knew her friend was merely trying to comfort her, and that it was more likely than not that something _would _happen.

"Yeah sure," she grumbled, sighing. "Well. Be careful, won't you?" Aerith asked the younger girl, her brow furrowing in concern.

"I'll try," Cissnei said, smiling as she brushed her wavy red hair from her face, then straightening out her ironed black suit.

"I expect a full report when I get back," Aerith said seriously.

"I know, I know," Cissnei replied, waving her hand nonchalantly.

"Good. Be careful," Aerith said again, hugging her friend. "You too, Reno," she said, turning to the laid-back Turk. He grinned at her flirtatiously.

"You got it, good looking." Aerith rolled her eyes, ignoring him.

"Time to go," Tseng said, entering the room with Veld. Aerith bid Cissnei and Reno farewell, then resigned herself to more waiting, praying for their safety.

"Sulking again, are we?" a deep voice asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

"No," Aerith said slowly, peering up at Sephiroth. "I'm just...waiting."

"Ah, I see," he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "That explains the grumpy look on your face."

"Hush," she said back, sticking her tongue out at him.

Most wouldn't dare taunt the 24 year old SOLDIER, but Aerith was completely at ease with him. She remembered fondly the day they had first met.

* * *

_**Midgar, 1998**_

_Sephiroth was returning from Wutai to rest, they told her. She had heard all about him while staying with the SOLDIERS, and she was incredibly excited (and nervous) to meet him. She was eight, now, though, and she composed herself. She had to look grown-up. She wanted to make a good impression on him. After all, he was special – just like her. _

_ When Sephiroth stepped through the elevator doors on the 49__th__ floor, everyone held their breath. Then Aerith stepped forward eagerly, holding out her hand._

_ "Hello," she said politely to the tall boy, having to tilt her head up to see him properly. He blinked in surprise – his eyes were green, like hers, she noted, but much lighter, and with strange pupils – but then he took her hand, gripping it lightly, and shook it. _

_ "Hello, there," he said, his voice already very deep. He stooped over to get a better look at her, his long silver hair tickling her arms. She smiled._

_ "I'm Aerith. They told me I'm special, just like you, so I bet we could be friends."_

_ He seemed to consider this for a moment, and then he smiled back at her. "I would like that, Aerith. It's a pleasure to meet you." _

_

* * *

_

Over the years, they had grown close, although Sephiroth had been gone for much of the time, fighting in Wutai on and off, with the help of his two other friends, Angeal and Genesis, the two 1st Class SOLDIERS who had ended up leaving Shinra. Their departure had left Sephiroth deeply shaken, and as of late, had taken to brooding by himself.

"Are you sulking today, too?" Aerith asked him, seeing that he looked a bit down.

"They haven't found Genesis or Angeal," he said, fiddling with the hilt of his sword. "Do you think they really betrayed Shinra, Aerith?"

"Not Angeal...he loved SOLDIER. He was honored to be in SOLDIER."

Sephiroth frowned, nodding to himself. "He was. Genesis, though...he hasn't been the same ever since he was wounded."

Aerith bit her lip, unsure of what to say. She picked at the hem of her dress – as a 1st Class, she was allowed to wear anything she wanted...not that it had ever stopped her before. The way she saw it, just because she could fight, didn't mean she couldn't dress girly. Even though she was part of SOLDIER didn't mean she couldn't like girly things, either. She absolutely loved flowers, and sometimes spent her time visiting an empty church in the slums, until somebody, usually Tseng, found her and drug her back to Shinra's HQ.

Suddenly, Sephiroth's phone range. He dug it out of his pocket, and Aerith heard the muffled voice over the other line.

"Right away, sir," Sephiroth replied, then hung up. Aerith looked at him expectantly.

"What is it?"

"I'm being called in. President Shinra was shot, though luckily, he survived. The anti-Shinra group known as AVALANCHE has taken control of the Mako Cannon."

Aerith stood up quickly, startled. "I should go too. He'll need healing."

"Your orders are to stay here," Sephiroth said.

Aerith narrowed her eyes at him, her jaw clenching in defiance. "I will not. I'm going, whether you like it or not. So let's go!"

"I knew you wouldn't stay," Sephiroth said. "I expect the President will appreciate your expertise. Let's go."

* * *

With the arrival of Sephiroth and Aerith on the scene in Junon, things quickly quieted down. Aerith and immediately gone to heal President Shinra. Even though she had been berated for leaving the headquarters, she could tell he was grateful. Sephiroth eventually joined her upstairs in the hotel with the President, Cissnei and Reno following.

"Cissnei, are you okay?" Aerith asked, concerned that her friend was limping, Reno helping her walk.

"The AVALANCHE leader got me – she would have finished me if Sephiroth hadn't come along," Cissnei said, wincing. "Fix me up?" she asked, with a grin that turned out more like a grimace.

"I told you to be careful," Aerith scolded, her eyes taking in her battered friend's figure. With a sigh, she focused on her magic – it was always there, just at the tips of her fingers, waiting and ready to be used. She commanded it silently to release and flow to Cissnei's points of pain. Cissnei sighed as the green magic flowed over her, soothing her.

"Thanks," she sighed, grinning dreamily. Aerith's magic had a tendency to induce a sleepy stupor, and sometimes gave others a bit of a high.

"A report, Sephiroth?" President Shinra asked officially.

"It's just as Cissnei said. She was being attacked by the leader of AVALANCHE when I arrived, but she fled upon my arrival. The other operatives of AVALANCHE were dead, scattered around the control room."

"Very well. We prevented them from using the Mako Cannon, but unfortunately, they've escaped. It is likely they will regroup and plan another attack. We'll have to set up more guards to keep an eye out."

"Yes, President Shinra," Sephiroth said, nodding. "In the meantime, let's all get back to Midgar..."

* * *

The following months were hectic for Shinra, as well as for Aerith, as AVALANCHE continued to rise against them. Aerith spent most nights exhausted, and sometimes had to go several days without sleep – she didn't work for just the SOLDIERS, but also for the Turks, which meant, for her, that she was often flying off to a new location. She was almost always getting briefed for some new mission, and time began to melt together for her.

**Midgar, March 0001**

Genesis and Angeal, 1st Class SOLDIERS, had been officially announced killed in action by Shinra. That was iffy of course – there were still clones popping up here and there, which led Aerith to believe they were still very much alive. Sephiroth was under the same belief. However, other matters were becoming the top priority. President Shinra had ordered SOLDIERS to deal with AVALANCHE, who had been growing more rowdy. Meanwhile, the Turks were ordered by Veld to recruit more SOLDIERS, due to the dwindling numbers since the mass desertion.

**April 0001**

April was one of Aerith's busier months. President Shinra had relented and allowed her to travel more freely. She started working with Sephiroth more, when he requested the help. She aided him in the search and capture of Professor Hollander, the reason that Genesis Rhapsodos and Angeal Hewley were degrading – the same reason they had left Shinra, in search for answers.

She traveled from Junon to Modeoheim, a frozen tundra, with an abandoned reactor, where Sephiroth was forced to fight Genesis, who ended up throwing himself into the depths of an excavation site, and following that, defeat Angeal, who had turned himself into a monster. After that, Sephiroth had grown even more quiet, and Aerith spent more time with Cissnei while Sephiroth brooded. She did what she could to comfort him, but he had grown somber at the deaths of his two friends, and she imagined, guilty that he had had to finish Angeal off.

**January 0002**

An accidental data leak occurred during January, and as a result, Veld was officially fired from his job by President Shinra and moved to another department. Much to the mixed joy and sadness of Tseng, he became the head of the Turks. Veld held no ill will toward Tseng, thankfully. Aerith was quite pleased for Tseng. He deserved it, after all his hard work. Later, however, Heidegger took control over the Turks, and ordered them to patrol Junon in preparation for a potential attack by AVALANCHE, who continued to fight Shinra.

**February 0002**

AVALANCHE attacked Junon, just as expected, but the Turks were quickly overwhelmed due to Heidegger's poor judgment. Veld, as it was later discovered, blackmailed President Shinra in order to regain control over the Turks, threatening to spill confidential information. Once he had regained control, he ordered the Turks to deal with the situation brewing at the airport. The Turks, with the help of Aerith, managed to successfully divert AVALANCHES' attack on Junon. Later, it was rumored that President Shinra began to suspect Professor Hojo for the leak.

**June 0002**

Aerith was shocked with Director Lazard's disappearance from Shinra. However, she had little time to ponder the situation, as AVALANCHE launched an attack on the Shinra HQ building, releasing several of the test monsters. Aerith, with the Turks, were sent to deal with the situation, due to the highly classified nature of the monster research projects. Aerith stayed with Cissnei, working from the 65th floor up, efficiently dealing with all of the monsters on each floor. Cissnei, with her shruiken, was a deadly force to reckoned with, and Aerith merely provided backup, casting barrier and healing spells as needed.

Upon their arrival to the 68th floor, they confronted Professor Hojo, along with a Raven, and two men from AVALANCHE. One of the men, clearly a scientist himself, was trying his best to convince Hojo to leave Shinra and join AVALANCHE, offering the chance for Hojo to study the Ravens. Even as she and Cissnei fought off the Raven, Hojo agreed to go with the AVALANCHE members. Aerith, realizing that the only way to defeat the Raven, which had the same superhuman strength as SOLDIER, combined with regenerative abilities, used a devastating Gravity attack, pushing him into the furnace, and thus incinerating his body.

Veld, upon learning about the situation, informed President Shinra, who then ordered Sephiroth to be brought in to deal with it. Cissnei and Aerith pursued Hojo and his captors up to the roof of the building, but were unable to make it in time. They are able to board the helicopter and take off.

Tseng, Cissnei, and Aerith gave chase to the chopper, following them along the highway in a truck, until one of the men parachuted out of the helicopter and bombed the highway, effectively ending their chase. They made it out of the truck, alive, thankfully, and attacked the man who'd bombed them. It was only thanks to the arrival of Sephiroth that the chopper was stopped, and Hojo was returned back to Shinra HQ.

**August 0002**

Veld informed President Shinra of a disturbance at the reactor in Nibelheim. The employees stationed there had mysteriously disappeared. The situation was to be immediately rectified, on President Shinra's orders.

**Costa De Sol, September 0002**

"Vacation at last!" Aerith sighed, wriggling her toes in the hot sand. After months of nearly unending working, she and Cissnei had finally gotten clearance to take a vacation. Naturally, they chose to spend their time in the tropically warm Costa De Sol. "This is so relaxing."

"We deserve it," Cissnei said, shielding her eyes from the bright sun.

"No kidding," Aerith agreed, sinking in the sand as she walked. She made her way up to the shore, reveling in the feeling of the cool surf washing over her feet and lapping at her calves. For Aerith, this was her first reprieve from battle and spying and assassinations in a long time. It was a speck of normality in her life, something she craved more than she realized.

"Maybe I'll finally get some sun," Aerith commented to Cissnei, glancing down at her own pale skin. "I look dreadful."

"Not according to the guys at work," Cissnei teased. It was true – many of the guys from SOLDIER had asked her out. "I heard Kunsel talking about you just the other day."

"Mmm," Aerith responded, shrugging. Kunsel was nice enough – all of the SOLDIERS were...something was just...missing, she supposed.

"Or what about Luxiere?" Cissnei prodded.

"He's a bit hero crazy," Aerith said, waving her had dismissively. "He practically worships Sephiroth."

"So does everyone else," Cissnei pointed out, smirking.

"He's just a normal guy," Aerith protested.

"With superhuman strength and speed. Unrivaled in combat. Yeah, that's normal," Cissnei said sarcastically.

"He's just as normal as me or you."

"You're not normal, Aerith. Neither am I. We'll never be normal, face it. Otherwise, Shinra wouldn't want anything to do with us."

Aerith sighed, shrugging in resignation. Cissnei was right. "A girl can dream, can't she?"

"Apparently not right now," Cissnei said grimly, peering down the beach. Aerith turned her head, squinting her eyes in the same direction. Her heart fell. Vacation was over.

"Genesis copies," she said grimly, getting to her feet. She was going to feel ridiculous, fighting in her bathing suit. Cissnei had plucked an umbrella from the ground, wielding it in front of her. Aerith didn't have her staff with her, but she had her magic, and that was good enough.

"We never get a break," Aerith complained, rushing after Cissnei to deal with the problem.

**Midgar, September 0002**

"You have new orders, Aerith," Tseng said, sitting at the table in the Briefing Room.

"What about Genesis?" she asked. After searching fruitlessly in Junon for him, she had eventually relented and returned to Midgar.

"We'll worry about him later. We have a problem up in Nibelheim. You and Sephiroth are heading up there to deal with the problem. A few months back, all the employees at the reactor mysteriously went missing. We sent some people in, and they reported that the sector was overrun with monsters. You're to diffuse the situation, then return home."

"Why do Sephiroth and I both have to go?" she wondered. Sephiroth was more than capable of handling it on his own.

"He requested you. Apparently, there are some rumors that another anti-Shinra group is based in Nibelheim. Possibly even members of AVALANCHE."

"What would they be doing up in a backwater place like that?"

"The Nibelheim Reactor was the first reactor ever built," Tseng said slowly. "And there are some confidential experiments being held there. It would be detrimental if the enemy were to destroy the reactor. Listen, Aerith, I know you can take care of yourself, but -"

"-Be careful. I know, Tseng," Aerith said kindly, smiling up at the man who had saved her all those years ago. "Thank you," she whispered, hugging him.

"Take care."

**Nibelheim, September 0002**

The ride had been long and boring as they crossed to the Western Continent. Sephiroth had been more quiet than usual on the ride, his eyes constantly watching the world below them.

"Are you alright, Seph?" Aerith asked him, concerned. Sephiroth hadn't been the same since the death of Angeal and the total betrayal of Genesis.

"I think I might leave Shinra," he confessed after a long pause.

"What?" she asked, shocked. "Why?"

"Everything I thought I knew – they are lies. Genesis and Angeal were merely byproducts of experiments. A failed one, at that, conducted by that fool, Hollander," he said coldly. "That is why they were degrading. Their cells were literally crumbling away, dying inside them. And it makes me wonder – what else is Shinra lying to us about? How can I fight Genesis when I agree with him? I can't blame him for wanting revenge on Shinra."

Aerith bit her lip, something she did when she held no answer. It was curious to see Sephiroth questioning Shinra – or himself, for that matter. It was disconcerting to her, Sephiroth who had always been so sure, so confident, to see him uncertain and doubting.

He turned his gaze to her, smiling slightly.

"See? I didn't want to worry you, but there you go, with that face."

She quickly stopped biting her lip, frowning. "If you leave, though..."

"I'm not saying that you have to, Aerith. But answer me this – do you really want to work for a company so distrustful? I'm beginning to wonder if AVALANCHE doesn't have the right idea. Well, on some things at least. I wonder if we are killing our planet."

Aerith felt something twinge deep inside her, and she held her hand up to her chest, wincing.

Sephiroth had returned to looking out the window, and missed this motion.

"We're here," Sephiroth said quietly, and Aerith leaned over to look out her own window. It was beautiful, she had to admit, the small town next to the grand Mt. Nibel. She could see the reactor, perched at the top of the mountain, protected by the majestic rock.

"We're going to the town first, to get some information," Sephiroth informed her as the helicopter lowered to land on the outskirts of the town.

"Did Tseng tell you about the anti-Shinra group rumored to be here?" Aerith asked.

"Yes, but our first priority is the reactor. We'll worry about the anti-Shinra group if they show up," he told her kindly. Aerith clutched at her staff. The closer they got to Nibelheim, the more she felt unnerved and on edge. She couldn't explain it, though, so she tried to push it away.

With a final, smooth drop, they landed.

"We're here."

* * *

Sephiroth led the way, Aerith following closely behind her, a strange feeling pulsing through her. She wasn't normally nervous about traveling or going new places. It was exciting for her. But there was a definite apprehension to her now, and she couldn't quite pinpoint _why._ As they passed through the small gate that made for an entrance to Nibelheim, Sephiroth held his arm to stop her.

"I'm going to go ask around. You can keep an eye out here, right?"

"Sure," she agreed, brushing her hair from her eyes. The town looked harmless enough, despite her anxiety. Sephiroth nodded formally (he always got so serious on missions) and walked toward the Inn. Aerith took the opportunity to scan the area. There was a large water tower in the center of the village, surrounded by the small, quaint buildings. One of them was the Inn Sephiroth had just entered; the rest appeared to be houses. She could see two paths forking, leading off further into the village. She knew from her research that there wasn't much to the village, but it seemed _so _small when compared to Midgar.

The sound of laughter grabbed her attention, and she shifted her focus. Coming from one of the paths was a trio of people. She could see, even from the distance, that two were male, and the other was female. They couldn't have been much older than her. She felt the sudden urge to go and join them, and she wished that her life had been different – that maybe, she could have grown up in a town like this, with friends who were normal. That she was normal.

"Bye Zack," said the blonde haired man, his voice low, though pleasant. The girl also waved goodbye, giving the dark haired man – Zack – a hug.

"Bye guys," Zack replied, and Aerith felt a shiver run down her spine. His voice was more even more pleasant to her than the other man's, the one with the chocobo head. Apparently, she had been staring, though, and Zack turned to face her. Her breath caught suddenly in her throat, and she felt quite dizzy, staring into the most brilliant-blue-almost-indigo eyes she had ever seen. He was tall, she noted, perhaps almost as tall as Sephiroth, even, and rather fit looking. His hair, which she had just seen as dark before, was actually more like a raven's feathers, so deep black that the highlights were purple. It was long, too, and spiked back in a way that gave him a devil-may-care look, except for a few strands of hair that hung attractively in front of his face. He had a perfectly straight nose and squared jaw and...she couldn't think anymore, because he'd just smiled at her. In a perfectly perfect way.

He looked like he was coming her way, and she wondered what she should say.

'You look delicious.' No. Too forward.

'Could I ravage you, please?' No. Definitely too forward. Though, polite.

'Hi, I'm Aerith.' Yeah, that might work.

"Aerith!" Sephiroth suddenly called out, and she jerked her head in his direction. She glanced back quickly at Zack, who had stopped, eyes narrowing at Sephiroth, a frown pulling at his mouth. Aerith was surprised. Zack looked extremely angry at the sight of Sephiroth. With another jolt, she realized that his eyes – his wonderful, perfect, breath-taking eyes – were positively glowing with mako. Like a SOLDIER. But she had never seen him before in her life.

He gave her a final look, frown still plastered on his face, and then he hurried away, out of sight. Aerith felt the sting of disappointment and loss. Loss from a boy she didn't even know, but one she knew she wanted to, more than anything.

"Who was that?" Sephiroth asked. Sometime between him calling her name and the time Zack had hurried off, he had walked over to her.

"Zack," Aerith sighed, liking the way his name sounded.

"You know him?"

"No."

Sephiroth looked perplexed, but didn't question her further. "We're resting for the night. I think you need some sleep. You're acting a bit strange."

"If you say so, Seph," Aerith said, still watching the spot where Zack had disappeared, and wondering when she'd see him again, and if she'd get the chance to talk to him.

* * *

**A/N: I'll have you know I worked on this chapter all day! It took quite a bit of research getting those dates and planning things out. If you're wondering, I kept most of the in between brief, because I didn't want to repeat storyline from the games. I only expanded on a few things, and worked through to get to the point where my story really started. Puh-leeeease leave a review. Thanks (;**


	4. The Mako Life

**Chapter 3 – The Mako Life**

**

* * *

**

** Nibelheim, 1998**

Zack sat almost completely naked in a pool of green. He refused to go in without swimming trunks. What if somebody came walking up the path and saw him? It was unlikely, but still...he didn't want to be caught without any sort of clothing. The green liquid washed over him, and he felt himself growing stronger. Ever since he'd come out of his coma, he'd been growing weaker, but now the pure mako he sat in was healing him again.

That day in Gongaga changed Zack's life forever. He had been incredibly lucky to survive the blast at all. However, he remained in a coma for a year. During his time spent in the coma, his father passed away, too ill to keep on living, and his mother moved from Gongaga, taking her comatose son with her. When Zack finally awoke again, he was in a strange town, and was hit with the news that his father was dead, and that he was going to be forever different.

His body had absorbed a staggering amount of mako during the explosion, the doctors had told him, and it was a miracle he hadn't been blown to bits. Many other people in the village hadn't been so fortunate. Zack had been startled when he saw himself later, in a mirror. His blue eyes were glowing in a disconcerting manner. They were glowing from mako, his doctors told him. His skin was remarkably unblemished – apparently his body had done an incredible job of healing him while he'd slept, and they speculated that he'd been asleep for so long only because his body had been healing.

Not only had his eyes been glowing, but he had grown in his sleep. He was much taller than he had been a year earlier, taller than most boys his age would be – another result of the mako; he also looked stronger, despite having spent twelve months, unmoving in a bed. In fact, he felt fine, which he knew wasn't right. He should have been feeling weak, disoriented...but in all truth, Zack felt alive and...connected.

The doctors had discharged him once they had deemed him healthy enough, and he started his new life in Nibelheim. What he hadn't told anyone about, not even his mother, was the voice he sometimes heard in the back of his head. The voice was soothing, though, and it felt...ancient. Wise.

Despite his new found strength, Zack had to bathe in mako monthly to survive. That was why his mother had moved to Nibelheim, where fountains of mako spilled from the ground. _The lifestream,_ the voice would tell him, and he knew it was time to hike up toward Mt. Nibel again to soak himself in the green liquid. He grew to resent Shinra for building the faulty reactor, and he began to resent being so dependent on mako. It controlled his life, but without it, he would die.

* * *

Zack was uneasy. It was ironic that he wanted to go back to Gongaga after thinking so long about leaving the tiny village – but he missed the warmth and familiarity of home. Nibelheim was much cooler than Gongaga. On the bright side, though, there were more kids his own age in Nibelheim. He watched the kids in front of him, wondering how he should approach them. There were three boys talking to a brunette with long, dark hair – he couldn't see any more of her, because her back was to him.

"Good luck getting them to talk to you," a voice said from behind him, and he turned quickly, startled. A boy, maybe a little younger than him, was staring at him, looking particularly glum.

"Why wouldn't they talk to me?" Zack asked, taking in the new boy in front of him. He had blonde, messy hair, icy blue eyes, and a green, clearly worn out shirt.

"They only talk to people who belong to the group," he said, shrugging. "I'm Cloud, by the way. You're new, aren't you?"

"Zack," he replied, offering his hand to the younger boy. "And yeah...I just moved here, I guess..."

"You guess? Don't you remember?"

"No," Zack said defensively, then shrugged sheepishly. "I was in a coma...an accident happened back home."

"Oh," Cloud answered, looking uncomfortable.

"So who are they?" Zack asked, gesturing to the other kids. He didn't want to talk about his accident, or why his eyes were glowing now, or why he looked like he worked out obsessively when he hadn't done a day of weight lifting in his life.

"Wel, Dan, Meiday, and Tifa."

"And how come you're not part of the group?" Zack asked, knowing he was prying, but too curious not to ask.

Cloud frowned. "Three years ago...Tifa's mom died. Tifa, she was upset, so she went running up to Mt. Nibel, thinking she'd find her mom again, I guess. I followed her to make sure she was okay. She fell off the suspension bridge. I fell too. Anyway, she was in a coma for seven days, but I was fine. But everyone blamed _me _for it," he added bitterly. "All I was trying to do was help."

"Why don't you just tell them that?"

"I've tried," Cloud said defensively. "No one listens."

"That's stupid. I believe you," Zack said, knowing it wasn't really much consolation, seeing as he had only just moved there.

"Oh...thanks, I guess," Cloud said, his face softening. His face hardened again as he scowled, looking beyond Zack's shoulder. Zack turned his head to see what was bothering Cloud. The two boys were laughing along with Tifa, and they all looked like they were deeply enjoying themselves.

"They look like they're having fun," Zack commented.

Cloud grunted, his body tense. "I don't know why she likes those jerks."

"Who, Tifa? Do you like her or something?" Zack asked, grinning. Cloud blushed suddenly and shook his head.

"Well, I don't see why not," Zack said, hiding his own smile. "She's pretty, you know."

"Hey, don't get any ideas," Cloud said quickly, then blushed an even deeper shade of red.

"Alright," Zack laughed, holding his hands up. "She's all yours, I promise. If you can even talk to her, that is," he teased. "You should introduce me to her. Maybe we can lure her away from the popular kids and get her to hang out with us. I think we're much better looking anyway," Zack said, smoothing back his hair.

"I don't know..." Cloud said reluctantly, but it was too late.

"Hey! TIFA!" Zack shouted, and the girl turned around, startled. Zack was surprised to see her eyes were a strange shade of crimson. Then again, who was he to judge? Zack grabbed Cloud's arm and dragged him along as he marched up to meet Tifa.

"Hi, I'm Zack. I'm new in town," he said, smiling broadly and holding his hand out to shake. She took it, looking at him curiously.

"Er, hi. I'm Tifa, as you seem to know already..."  
"Oh, Cloud told me."

"Hi, Cloud," Tifa said, smiling at him. Cloud mumbled something and stared at the ground. Zack nudged him hard in the ribs, causing Cloud to shoot him a glare. Zack still got the result he wanted though, as Cloud met Tifa's eyes and greeted her more clearly.

"Hello, Tifa."

The three other boys – what were their names again? Will, Dave, and Marty? Something like that. Zack thought they looked highly disgruntled, but they were looking at him with apprehensive looks on their faces as well. They were sizing him up, Zack decided, and they had seemed to decide the couldn't beat him in a fight. The stalked off, looking surly.

"So, how about you two come over to my house? I bet my mom's making some snacks," Zack offered, staring at his two new friends.

"Er, okay," Cloud said, glancing quickly at Tifa.

"That sounds nice, Zack. I'd love to."

"Great!" Zack announced, throwing his arms around Cloud and Tifa's shoulders, leading them back to his house. "I think we're all going to be great friends."

It turned out, he was right.

* * *

**Nibelheim, February 0001**

Shinra had tried to cover up the anti-Shinra attack on the President, but Zack still found the story, buried beneath war stories and praises for the hero, Sephiroth, for ending the war in Wutai.

"Check this out, Cloud," Zack said, shoving the paper toward his best friend, who was currently enraptured by their other best friend, Tifa. He was watching her through the window. She had begun training with Master Zangan, learning martial arts.

"How else will I keep up with you boys?" Tifa had asked them, grinning.

"Cloud," Zack repeated, trying to snap his friend out of it. "You're drooling."

"What?" Cloud asked, his eyes refocusing. "Sorry, what?"

"I said, look at this. AVALANCHE attacked President Shinra. Shot him! Pity he didn't die."

Cloud chuckled. About a year ago, he'd had plans to leave Nibelheim and join Shinra, hoping to become a 1st Class SOLDIER, just like Sephiroth. That was when Zack had finally told his friends about his accident in Gongaga, and how Shinra had never extended any help toward him or his mother. This was enough to convince Cloud to stay in Nibelheim with him and Tifa.

"You know, we should start up our own chapter of AVALANCHE right here in Nibelheim," Zack said, grinning at the thought of undermining Shinra.

"Why? Because Shinra's always so active here?" Cloud asked sarcastically, pushing the paper away.

"Come on. There's a reactor. And there's that creepy mansion. I bet we'd find something in there."

"Hmm," Cloud replied noncommittally.

"It's a good idea," Zack insisted, but Cloud was already back to watching Tifa.

"Her birthday's coming up soon," Cloud said, mostly to himself.

"Yeah, in May. Just three months away," Zack laughed. "Wrote it down in your diary of love, Cloud?"

"Shut up," Cloud said, shoving Zack and blushing.

"Why don't you invite her up to the water tower?"

The water tower was a well known 'date spot' in Nibelheim.

"What?" Cloud spluttered. "I couldn't."

"Sure you could. I heard Wel did last week."

"Did she go?" Cloud asked, all his attention focused on Zack now. His face had turned white.

"I heard she turned him down. I _bet_ she's just waiting for the right guy to ask her," he said, winking and nudging Cloud's side.

Cloud groaned. "Whatever, Zack. What if she's waiting for you to ask?"

"Me? No way. She's not interested in me. I'm telling you, man, she's waiting for you."

"Yeah right," Cloud said, but he looked marginally more cheerful.

After a long moment, Zack said, "I bet Tifa would join an anti-Shinra group with me," causing Cloud to groan again and push Zack hard enough to make him fall out of the chair. Zack laughed jovially as Cloud helped him back up.

"I'll think about it," Cloud said, tapping the side of his head.

"That's all I ask for."

* * *

**March 0001**

"Hmm. Two 1st Class SOLDIERS were announced dead, today." Zack said, pouring over the news.

"Do you always have to read the news?" his mother asked. "Why don't you go outside and play like a normal boy."

"I'm not, normal, mom," Zack sighed. "And besides, I'm not a little boy anymore. I'm seventeen. I'm a man."

"Right, sorry," his mother said, kissing him on the temple.

"Mom!"

"Sorry," she apologized again, smiling. "You're just so grown up."

"That happens sometimes," he replied cheekily.

"How's Cloud doing?" his mother asked. Cloud's mother had become good friends with his own, and consequently, she often asked how Cloud was doing. They probably reported back to each other, Zack mused.

"He's fine. Still mooning over Tifa. He should just ask her out."

"Leave him alone, Zack. He's shy, that's all. He's sweet."

"Well, he'll regret it when she gets tired of waiting and goes out with Dan or one of the other boys in town. Anyway, I have to go tell Cloud and Tifa about this," he said, pointing to the paper.

"And what interest would they have in two dead SOLDIERS?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him thoughtfully. He hadn't told her about their growing plans to start their very own AVALANCHE, and he was going to keep it that way. His mother worried enough as it was.

"Just cause, it's interesting," he said evasively. "I mean, we don't get any exciting news in this slow town."

"Mmhmm," his mother said, and he could tell she was still suspicious.

"Well, bye!" Zack said hurriedly, kissing his mother on the cheek and darting out of the house.

* * *

**Nibelheim, May 3, 0001**

"What'd you get Tifa for her birthday?" Cloud asked Zack. He was clearly nervous about today. Zack had finally convinced Cloud to ask Tifa up to the water tower. Or maybe he'd been convinced when Tifa had been asked out by Johnny, another village boy who was desperately infatuated with Tifa.

"I got her some gloves, for her martial arts stuff. Think she'll like them?"

"Yeah. I hope she likes what I got her," he added, a bit mournfully.

"What is it?"

"I'm giving it to her on the tower tonight."

"I didn't say, 'When are you giving it to her?', chocobo head, I asked what it was," Zack said, ruffling his friend's spiky hair.

"Argh," Cloud said, pulling away from Zack.

"You got her argh? That'll be interesting to see."

"No...I'm not telling you what I got her," he said, his cheeks going pink.

"Ah, so you're going to kiss her, right?" Cloud didn't say anything, but his cheeks got even pinker, and Zack laughed, making kissy faces at his friend.

"What are you two up to?" Tifa asked, interrupting their horseplay.

"Nothing, Teef," Zack said, releasing Zack and bounding forward. He lifted Tifa up in a hug. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks Zack," Tifa said, her voice muffled up against his chest. He let her go, beaming at her.

"Here," he exclaimed, thrusting his gift toward her. He waited, a bit nervously, as she unwrapped the gloves. Her face lit up in a smile, and he felt content, knowing he had gotten her the right thing.

"Thanks, Zack! They're great," she said, hastily pulling the gloves on and making a fist, testing them. "I can't wait to show Master Zangan."

"Happy Birthday, Tifa," Cloud said quietly, a half smile on his face. Even after their years of friendship, Cloud still found it hard to talk to Tifa at times. Zack sighed, grabbing his friend's arm and pulling him closer.

"Cloud has something he wants to ask you, Tifa," Zack said mischievously.

"Zack," Cloud said lowly.

"What is it, Cloud?" Tifa asked, smiling sweetly at him.

"Oh. I -" Cloud spluttered, completely off guard.

"Go on!" Zack insisted.

"Right," Cloud took a deep breath, steeling himself. "I just wondered if maybe...."

"I'm sorry?"

"Slower, and in English, Cloud, so she understands," Zack instructed, smiling.

"Sorry," Cloud flushed. "I mean. I wanted to know if you would like to come with me to the tower...tonight."

"Oh!" Tifa blushed too, and Zack beamed at his friends – his pink cheeked friends. Blushing fools. They clearly loved each other.

"Sure. After my party, okay?"

"Great," Cloud blurted, clearly relieved.

"Beautiful," Zack sniffed jokingly. Both Cloud and Tifa pushed him, grinning.

"Shut up, Zack," they echoed each other.

"Two young kids in love," Zack continued dramatically. Cloud clamped a hand over his mouth, muffling his words.

"Careful Zack, I might just be able to beat you up," Tifa warned him, smiling. "Master Zangan has taught me a lot."

"Keep dreaming, sweetheart," Zack shot back after he pulled Cloud's hand away. He felt a wave of weariness sweep over him.

_**Lifestream...**_

"Hey guys, I have to go for a while. But I'll be back for your party, okay, Tifa?"

Cloud and Tifa exchanged looks. Zack had never told them the reason for his monthly disappearances, but by now, they knew better than to question him.

"Okay, Zack," Tifa said as Cloud helped him back up.

With a quick nod, Zack took off for Mt. Nibel at a steady jog. Ordinarily, the climb would have been easy for him, but in his weakening state, he was huffing halfway to his destination. His job slowed to a walk, and he worried that he'd pushed himself too hard this time. Fortunately, as he rounded the next bend, he saw the green glow coming from the mako fountain and sighed. Stripping away his clothes quickly, he slid into the pool. It was deeper than it looked, and he was able to submerge himself up to his chest. The mako enveloped his senses, soothing him, strengthening him. He closed his eyes, letting the world around him fade away.

* * *

Later, Zack descended from Mt. Nibel, feeling like a brand new person all over again. That's how it always felt after his monthly soak, as he liked to think of it. Like his own little spa. Already he could see people gathering for Tifa's party. Strangely enough, Tifa was the only girl to live in Nibelheim – at least, the only girl who wasn't also very old or a mother. Perhaps that was why she was so popular with the boys. That, or maybe it was that, even at fourteen, Tifa looked much older. Zack figured it was a combination of both.

However, that also made the pickings slim for Zack. Actually, the pickings were nilch. Nada. There was only Tifa, and while he liked her, he certainly didn't feel attracted to her like _that_, and he would never do that to Cloud, even if he was.

He strolled lazily down to Tifa's house, spotting easily in the crowd. He was a good head taller than most of the people there, having grown to a height of 6"1' over the years, though he seemed to have finally reached his limit and stopped. Cloud was easy to spot, his blonde hair sticking up dangerously. He and Cloud were messy haired partners in crime, as his mother so often told them, fondly. Cloud was standing away from the crowd of boys who were greeting Tifa, looking moody. Zack made his way over to Cloud, grinning.

"Cheer up, grumpy. She said she'd go with you tonight, didn't she?"

"Yeah..."

"So what do you have to worry about?" Zack asked, throwing his arm around Cloud's shoulder. "You're golden."

Cloud grunted, unconvinced. "She looks pretty tonight," Cloud said finally, after glaring moodily at the other boys.

"You _always_ think she looks pretty," Zack pointed out.

"She looks prettier tonight," Cloud insisted.

"Don't forget the breath mints tonight, Cloudy," Zack teased. "She'll never want to kiss you again if you have bad breath."

Cloud looked both irritated and concerned by Zack's words. He appeared to be fighting internally with himself before he finally blurted, "Do you have any on you?"

Zack smirked knowingly, then dug his hand into his pocket, pulling out a packet of mints.

"Knock yourself out, buddy."

Cloud snatched the mints from Zack's hands with a hasty "Thanks" and proceeded to pop two into his mouth, looking anxiously at Tifa.

"Easy there, lover boy. Easy." Zack received another shove from Cloud, and he tumbled to the side. "So violent..." he mumbled.

* * *

After the party had settled down and the other boys had gone home, it was just Tifa, Zack, and Cloud. Zack and Cloud had stayed to help her clean up. Tifa's father had eventually grown to tolerate Cloud, though he still didn't trust him, it seemed, because he was watching them clean up carefully.

"Great party," Zack said to Tifa, aware that her father was in the corner, staring at them. It was a bit creepy, to be honest.

"It was fun, wasn't it?" Tifa asked, her face flushed with warmth. She had looked disappointed when she opening her gifts, finding nothing from Cloud. Zack had quietly explained that he was giving it to her later, at the tower, at which point Tifa blushed. She had cheered up, after that, though, and had had a rather good time during the rest of her party.

Zack couldn't help but notice the looks between Tifa and Cloud – and apparently, neither had her dad.

"Hurry and clean up, Tifa," her father said. "You should get to bed soon." Tifa's mouth tightened. Her curfew had been a matter of friction between the two of them, but Zack saw her restraining the urge to talk back. He knew she would just sneak out the window after her father had gone to bed anyway.

"Yes, Daddy," she said through clenched teeth, shoving a paper plate into a trash bag more violently than she had intended.

Cloud and Zack helped her clean up quickly, and then she had hugged them goodnight, lingering perhaps a little longer than normal on Cloud. He shuffled his feet nervously, Zack saw, as her dad watched them shrewdly.

"Night, guys," she said, beaming at them both. They let themselves out, waving to Tifa and bidding her 'goodnight' as well, even though they knew they'd see her soon anyway.

Zack and Cloud shuffled their way to the water tower, and they both climbed up, the night sky twinkling with bright stars above them.

"Nervous?" Zack asked, sitting comfortably, leaning back on his hands so he could watch the stars.

"Yeah," Cloud breathed, and Zack could smell quite distinctly the mint on his breath. He laughed.

"How many mints did you have?"

"All of them," Cloud said, his voice cracking.

"Relax, Cloud."

"What if she doesn't come? Did you see how her dad was glaring at me? He hates me still," he whispered anxiously.

"She'll come," Zack reassured Cloud. He turned to look at Tifa's house, watching as the lights flicked off inside. "See, they're already going to bed. They'll be out here in no time."

"Right," Cloud nodded, his face pale in the moonlight. Zack sat quietly next to his friend, kicking his legs against the water tower lightly, enjoying the peaceful night. Then,

"I hope Tifa doesn't think you're on a date with me, up here," he joked.

"Ha ha," Cloud said, lightening up a bit. "You're so hilarious, Zack," He said dryly.

"Of course I am. You can't be friends with me just because I'm so good looking."

"You're the ugliest guy I've ever seen," he shot back, grinning.

"At least I don't have a chocobo's backside for hair," Zack shot back.

"Ha," Cloud said loudly. "At least I don't look like a porcupine!"

"I don't look like a porcupine," Zack frowned, smoothing down his hair. "Give me a break, it does it naturally."

"Oh, like I can control my hair?" Cloud asked, chuckling, ribbing Zack.

"Are you two on a date up there?" Tifa's voice called up to them. "Should I come back later?"

"Told you," Zack burst into laughter. "Come on up, sweetheart! I wouldn't want you to miss out on Cloud's present."

Cloud had gone quiet again, his nervousness clearly at a new level. Tifa climbed up the water tower easily, grinning at them both when she got to the top.

"I'll just leave you two alone," Zack said, raising his brow suggestively. They both blushed faintly. He climbed back down the water tower. He debated going home or not when Tifa started talking.

"Hi Cloud," she said, and Zack thought her voice sounded more pleasant than usual. He wondered what that was about. She was probably using all her feminine wiles to ensnare Cloud. Not that he needed any more ensnaring. He was more tangled up in her than a dolphin caught in a fisher's net.

"Hey Tifa," Cloud said back, trying to sound casual, but failing to prevent his voice from cracking again.

"Cloud...you smell like mints."

"Ah...Zack gave those to me."

"Why?" she asked, laughing lightly. She definitely had to be smiling, Zack decided.

"Because...he said you wouldn't ever want to kiss me if my breath smelled bad."

"Did he?" Tifa asked casually, and Zack heard someone kicking the water tower with their foot.

"Yeah," Cloud answered, his voice lower. "Tifa...I really like you. I didn't know what to get you for your birthday...except..."

"Except for a kiss?" she asked shyly, and Zack smirked. _Come on, Cloud!_ He thought, cheering Cloud on mentally. Nobody was speaking anymore, but Zack heard a shift of clothing, and a soft sigh, and he felt like he was intruding on a personal moment, so he crept away quietly. Still, unable to help himself, he peered up at the water tower and smiled at the sight of his two friends, kissing hesitantly. Zack turned away again, leaving them to their private moment.

* * *

Zack waited for Cloud outside of his house, slumped against the wall. Despite knowing the outcome, he wanted to know how it was for Cloud. He eventually came stumbling up to the house, while another dark figure slipped back toward Tifa's house – Tifa, presumably – and Zack stood up, grinning.

"So?" he asked, needing no further elaboration.

"I love her," Cloud said dreamily.

"Well, I already knew _that._ I meant, how was the kiss?"

"...Minty," Cloud said, chuckling.

"But good?"

"Wonderful," Cloud corrected.

"I'm happy for you, Cloud," Zack said proudly. "And just imagine. Johnny will be so jealous of you."

Cloud laughed at his friend, then yawned. Zack took the hint.

"Night, buddy."

"See you tomorrow, Zack."

* * *

**August 0001**

August came, bringing with it sweltering heat. Well, sweltering for Nibelheim, at any rate. Zack found it to be very pleasant, as it didn't get very hot at all up in the mountains. August also brought about Cloud's sixteenth birthday. The party wasn't anything like Tifa's, as most of the village boys resented Cloud for somehow catching Tifa. They'd started dating ever since her birthday, much to her father's own displeasure. Tifa, however, could not be persuaded by her father, or any of the village boys, to stay away from Cloud. Cloud, ultimately, was much happier as a result.

"Look at you, Cloud, all grown up," his mother said, smiling at him as they crowded around the kitchen table. His mother had baked an excellent cake in celebration, which they had devoured enthusiastically. Tifa sat next to Cloud, her fingers laced through his own; Zack thought Cloud looked on top of the world.

"Thanks, Mom," Cloud said, grinning.

"I don't think you'll ever be as tall as me, Cloud," Zack said, smiling. Cloud was only four inches shorter than him now, but it had always been a sort of competition between them.

"Oh hush, Zack," Tifa said, smiling at Cloud. "I think you're just the right height. Any taller and I wouldn't be able to kiss you," she said, and as if to settle the matter, kissed him soundly on the cheek. His comeback was lost and he smiled fondly at his girlfriend.

"You ruin all my fun now, Tifa," Zack pouted, sighing dramatically.

"Maybe you should get a girlfriend," she laughed.

"Oh, right," Zack said, pretending to think about it. "Do you think the old lady down the road will agree? Or maybe you, Mrs. Strife?" Zack asked, grinning up at Cloud's mom.

She smiled indulgently at Zack. "I'm sorry, Zack, but perhaps you should find someone closer to your own age."

"Ah," Zack shrugged, sighing again. "See, Tifa? All the good ones are taken, and I think the old lady down the road might have a heart attack if someone as attractive as me asked her out."

"You are so full of yourself," Tifa laughed, reaching across the table and pushing his shoulder gently.

"Don't worry, Zack," Cloud spoke up, smiling at the banter between his girlfriend and best friend. "You'll find someone someday."

"Yeah, only if I ever leave this place," Zack agreed, shoveling another piece of cake in his mouth.

"Maybe she'll move here."

"Who'd move here?" Zack asked through a mouthful of cake.

"You did," Cloud pointed out, and Zack shrugged, conceding to his point.

* * *

**November 0001**

As the cold really settled in on Nibelheim, Zack found himself frequenting the mako pool more and more often. His dependency on it had grown with the cold, and he found himself weaker in the bitter weather. Traveling up half a mountain to get to the pool never helped either.

His eighteenth birthday came and went without much fuss on the 15th, and he began to wonder if he was slowly dying. Each year left him feeling more drained, and the voice in the back of his head grew fainter. It was a voice he had come to expect, and one that had comforted him and guided him. Now, it was barely there, and it worried him.

It was another one of his bad days, and he was walking slowly up the mountain, his coat wrapped tightly around him. His legs felt weary and he wanted more than anything to lie down and sleep, but he knew he would feel refreshed once he'd had his mako bath. When he reached his little spot, he peeled away his clothes, shivering as the freezing air bit at his skin. The mako was always warm, though, and never froze. He slid in, thankfully, sighing with relief.

"What are you doing, Zack?" a shock voice shouted, jerking him from his reverie.

"Cloud!" Zack said, quickly turning in the pool, mako splashing around him.

"Zack! That's mako! It's dangerous!"

"Cloud, listen..." but Cloud was already reaching in, pulling Zack out. Zack shivered, wrenching out of Cloud's grip and falling back into the mako. He resurfaced, spluttering.

"Cloud, LISTEN!" he said fiercely, pushing Cloud's reaching arms away firmly. "It's okay. I always do this."

"Wait...this is where you go every month? To take a bath in mako? Are you _crazy_?"

"I wish," Zack muttered, running his fingers through his hair. "Cloud, do you remember when I told you about my accident in Gongaga?"

"Of course. The mako reactor blew up and you nearly died. What does that have to do with this?"

"This is how I survive. It's the only way for me to live. I have to...I don't know, refuel myself with mako; otherwise I would die. That's why we moved here. It was the closest place my mother could think of that had free flowing mako."

"That's why your eyes glow..." Cloud said slowly, his eyes narrowed at Zack as he tried to process the information.

"Yeah...this is why. I'm...a freak. I don't know. Different."

"You're still Zack," Cloud said, shaking his head. "You're still you. The mako hasn't changed you."

"No, I just depend on it," he said bitterly, shaking his head.

"But look at you – it makes you strong, too. Is it such a bad thing?"

Zack could see how, from Cloud's point of view, how mako might be a good thing. It was the same thing that SOLDIERS had, and it was impressive, he supposed. But living with it, having to deal with the pain and tiredness and the constant baths – it was frustrating.

"If only you knew, Cloud," Zack said softly.

* * *

A few days after Cloud had discovered Zack's secret, he had fallen seriously ill. Zack realized this was his fault, in a way. If Cloud hadn't followed him up the mountain, he would have never come in contact with the mako, and he would have never been poisoned.

Zack and Tifa took turns watching after Cloud as he slept, his body fighting the mako. Zack had eventually had to explain to Tifa how this had happened to Cloud, but he was relieved that Tifa didn't blame him.

"I'm sorry I kept it from you both for so long – if you had known, Cloud wouldn't have tried to pull me out," he admitted guiltily.

"Zack," Tifa said gently, placing her hand on his arm. "We all make mistakes. Besides...he'll wake up, won't he?"

"...Hopefully," Zack said, taking Tifa's other hand for comfort, and squeezing it lightly.

Cloud did wake up, two weeks later, groggy and disoriented.

"What happened?" he rasped when he woke up.

"Mako poisoning, chocobo head," Zack chuckled weakly, trying to joke to lighten the mood, even as relief flooded through him. Tifa kissed him right on the lips when he woke up, her eyes suspiciously bright.

"Don't you ever do that again," she told him after that, hitting him on the arm.

"Ow," he groaned, wincing. "You're beating up an invalid, Tifa," he croaked, and then she kissed him again.

"Sorry," she whispered when she pulled away, brushing back his hair. "I was just...scared. That's all."

Zack retreated from the room, feeling a bit glum. He was glad Cloud was awake, but the situation had brought reality crashing back down for him. He'd been able to forget for a while, to have fun with Cloud and Tifa, but now his mind reminded him of Shinra. All of this was their fault, the way he saw it. His resentment for Shinra rose up in his throat like bile. He would get them back, someday.

* * *

**February 0002**

It was all over the news. The terrorist group, AVALANCHE had attacked Junon again, nearly taking control of the airport. Eventually, the Turks had regained control of the situation, and AVALANCHE had fled. The news instilled a new desire in Zack.

"Hey, Cloud. We should do something about the reactor here. Something to get back at Shinra..."

"Like what?" Cloud asked, tearing his eyes away from the television. Ever since his mix with pure mako, his eyes had taken on a slight glow, though not as prominent as Zack's.

"I don't know..."

"It's guarded you know," Cloud informed him. "Shinra helicopters fly over all the time bringing new guards in and switching out the old ones."

"...Maybe we'll find something in the mansion," He suggested, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "That mansion's been here as long as the reactor, hasn't it?"

"Yeah," Cloud nodded. "You know, they say that experiments even took place in that mansion."

"We should check it out..."

"When the snow clears up," Cloud agreed.

* * *

**June 0002**

Three figures made their way up to the old abandoned mansion in Nibelheim. They stopped in front of the closed gate, apparently thwarted.

"Well, I guess we start climbing," Zack announced to Cloud and Tifa. They looked dubious, but Zack was feeling up to the challenge. He had bathed in mako the night before to make sure he'd have enough strength for the day. Zack cracked his knuckles, then gripped the metal gate impeding their entrance and began to climb, planting his feet on the bars. But he slowly slipped back down the smooth metal. He frowned, put out for a moment.

"I guess we could just take the lock off."

"We didn't bring any bolt cutters," Cloud said, but Zack ignored him and grasped the cold lock in his hand and pulled. The lock, old with rust, crumbled in his grasp and broke.

"See?" Zack grinned, and he pushed the old gates open. They complained loudly, screeching eerily.

"Creepy," Tifa shuddered, and Cloud nodded, wrapping his arm around her. She smiled and leaned into him.

"Come on lovebirds, you can cuddle later," Zack said impatiently. He was full of excitement, thrilled at the possibility of what they might find in the mansion. The front door had no lock – presumably, they had thought the locked gate enough to keep anyone out.

Inside was gloomy and musty. Spiderwebs decorated the ceiling and corners of the empty house, and the dirty windows let in very little light.

"It is creepy," Zack admitted, and the faint voice in his head agreed, quavering. The whole place emanated a certain malevolence. "Let's check the rooms."

But all the doors on the lower level were locked. They ascended the stairs slowly, the wood beneath their feet creaking. The house broke off into two parts here. Zack glanced to the left, then the right. There were doors on each side.

"Should we split up, or stay together?" Zack asked.

"Stay together, definitely," Tifa said, her hands balled up into tight fists. "What if there are monsters in here?"

Zack hadn't thought of that – there had been occasional monsters roaming around on Mt. Nibel, but he'd been able to deal with them. The one nice thing about mako was the boost of strength it gave him.

"We'll deal with them, then," Zack said decisively. "Left first, then."

The first door they came across was locked, but the next one was open. Zack peered inside, his heart pounding in his chest. He was disappointed though. It was nothing but a musty old room, with a thick layer of dust on the tables and chairs.

"Nothing," he said, opening the door wider for Cloud and Tifa to see. The next room they got in was just as disappointing, though this time there were bookshelves and a safe in the corner. They had no idea what the combination to the safe was, though, and so they let it be.

"I guess we'll check the other side then," Zack said, and, closing the door behind him, they walked to the other side of the mansion, their feet leaving prints on the dusty floor.

"Someone should come and clean in here more often," Zack said, attempting to lighten the somber mood. Cloud and Tifa remained silent, though, and he shut his mouth.

The other rooms were as eerily empty too – they found another bedroom, and another locked door. One room, though, had a thick brick wall, and Zack paused in front of it, eyeing it carefully.

"This is a bit unusual," Zack commented aloud, feeling the wall slowly with his hand. "No other room has anything like this..."

"Zack, let's go. There's nothing here," Cloud said, sounding impatient. Zack frowned. Maybe Cloud was right. Perhaps the wall was really just a wall, and he was looking for something – anything – to make this trip eventful. After several more minutes of trying to find some secret to the wall, Zack gave up.

"Alright. Let's go then. That was a waste of time."

That night, Zack learned about the attack on Shinra HQ. He was impressed with AVALANCHE. At least they had the guts to stand up to Shinra and fight back. He was feeling more and more desperate to do something himself.

* * *

**August 0002**

Two days before Cloud's seventeenth birthday, he, Zack, and Tifa hiked up Mt. Nibel. Zack had finally decided to do something about Shinra, and had convinced Tifa and Cloud to come along. Zack had never been up past his mako pool, and the hike was much longer than he expected. Cloud and Tifa had a little more experience with the trail, having gone further all those years ago when Tifa's mom had died.

They stopped in front of the long, narrow bridge.

"We cross this, and we're there," Tifa said, gazing up at the looming reactor in front of them.

"And then we take out whatever employees are there," Zack grinned, his smile feral. Finally, he was going to do something about Shinra. He would show them. He hesitated a moment.

"Look, you guys don't really have to come with me," he said, shrugging at Cloud and Tifa. "I know you didn't really want to go."

"We didn't come this far just to abandon you," Cloud replied, grinning. "Besides, we might as well shake things up a little bit. Life's so boring," he chuckled.

Zack beamed. "That's the spirit!"

And so they crossed the bridge. Security was a laugh. The employees stationed there were hardly fit to fight, much less against three strong youths. Zack felt the mako surge through him like never before as he landed a punch on one Shinra employee. He smiled triumphantly as the man crumpled to the ground. Fighting was easy. It was _great_, in fact.

Cloud was holding his own, as well, and Tifa, trained by Zangan, was doing even better, knowing exactly where to hit to bring a man down. The handful of men who were there to guard the reactor scrammed, some limping, others bleeding from the nose.

"...That was exciting," Zack breathed, his eyes alight with glee, adrenaline coursing through him.

"Let's check inside," Cloud said, his cheeks flushed with the thrill.

This time, though, Shinra had relied on more than just guards to keep people out of the reactor. The door required a keycard or a passcode, neither of which any of them had.

"Lame," Zack said, his spirits drooping. "I wonder what's so important that they have to keep it locked up in a reactor?" he wondered aloud. He felt a bit of anxiety in the back of his mind though, and he was sure it wasn't quite his own. He wondered if the anxiety belonged to the voice.

"Well, I don't imagine we'll be seeing them around here anymore," Zack said, cheering up once more. "How about we go back and celebrate our first victory against Shinra?"

* * *

**September 0002**

Nothing happened in Nibelheim until late September, unless anyone counted a few Shinra guards who had arrived shortly after the attack on the reactor. Zack had gone up and dealt with those men as well, reveling in the thrill of the fight. It was a strangely addicting feeling, but it cost him. He found he was generally more tired than usual afterward, and he'd have to go bathe in mako again to feel normal once more.

It was a beautiful September day, though, and Zack, Cloud, and Tifa had gone out, enjoying themselves and relaxing. The air was beginning to turn more crisp, announcing the arrival of winter. Zack knew this meant even more mako baths in the future for him, but he tried to ignore that sinking feeling.

Over the past few months, many of the other boys had left the town, heading for Midgar to start new lives. Zack, Cloud, and Tifa were the only younger people still around. Zack knew he couldn't leave, due to the sparse location of mako pools, and Cloud and Tifa were reluctant to leave him in Nibelheim all by himself. Still, Zack knew that with Tifa and Cloud already 15 and 16, and himself nearing 18, they would want to leave the sleepy town soon. He also knew he wouldn't stop them – he wanted them to be happy, even if it was without him.

"Just invite me to the wedding," he often joked, and they would share a smile and link fingers, or kiss each other tenderly. Zack was a little jealous, he could admit, but at the same time, immensely happy for his two best friends. Looking back, the reactor explosion was one of the best things that had happened to him: he'd met Cloud and Tifa because of it.

After sharing a leisurely walk along the outskirts of Nibelheim, the trio headed back to the village, laughing and talking merrily. When they entered the village, Cloud and Tifa departed – probably to have some alone time to themselves.

"Be safe, kids," Zack leered, and they shook their heads, grinning at him.

"Bye Zack," Cloud said, and Tifa hugged him farewell. They walked off, hand in hand, and Zack watched, smiling, in an exceptionally good mood. He felt someone staring at him from behind, though, and turned. The world froze, and something _clicked_ into place.

Eyes that reminded him of the greenest spring grass, of the most lively plants back in Gongaga, were staring at him – maybe even past him, deep into his soul, into his very being. She had the prettiest hair, he thought, that tumbled around her face in curls, and bangs that parted in the middle. Her features were soft, and lovely, and unlike anything he'd ever seen – not that he'd seen many girls, besides Tifa, in Nibelheim. But he knew, there, that this girl was something special.

She had a dress on, even though it was the middle of September, and quite cool outside. Something about that struck a chord with him. She was different. Like him. She clearly wasn't from around Nibelheim. Her mouth was parted slightly as she stared back at him, and he noted how pink her lips looked, and wondered how they could look so soft.

_**Go to her.**_ The voice in his head said clearly, loudly, for the first time in months. He didn't need a voice in his head to tell him to go up to her though. He wondered what he should say to her.

'Hey, beautiful, what's your name?' No. Too cheesy.

'Are you an angel?' No. Also very cheesy.

'Hi. I'm Zack.' Yeah. That might work.

His legs started forward of their own will, but he came to a halt as an unfamiliar voice called out.

"Aerith!"

Zack's attention was diverted, and the new sight cause his blood to boil. _Sephiroth._ He recognized the hero easily enough – his face was always all over the news. Shinra was here. He frowned, his fists tightening. Shinra. What were they doing in Nibelheim? Why had they sent Sephiroth? More importantly, how did that girl – Aerith – how did she know Sephiroth?

He glanced back at her. She was still looking at him, and he it finally registered in his mind. Her eyes were glowing with mako. She was a part of SOLDIER. She was the enemy.

So why was every nerve in his body urging him toward her? Why was he drawn to her, like a star caught in the gravitational pull of a black hole? His frown deepening, Zack willed himself away, trying to make himself repulsed by her. She was the enemy. She couldn't be his anything.

He walked away, even as the voice in his head buzzed and hummed insistently. He had to find Cloud and Tifa.

* * *

**A/N: Ah, chapter 3, even more ridiculously long that chapter 2, 1, and the prologue combined. As I do have work tomorrow, I don't know when chapter 4 will arrive, but if I continue to feel as creative as I do right now, hopefully soon. This rapid fire updating was the result of an entire day spent writing this. So, PLEEEEEEEEEASE REVIEW. I'm not even kidding. They help me write. They please me. It makes my whole day feel like less of a waste. So. REVIEW. Thanks (;**


	5. Mt Nibel

**Chapter 4: Mt. Nibel**

**

* * *

**

Aerith slept comfortably enough at the Inn in Nibelheim. She was reluctant to wake in the morning – her dreams had been filled with pleasant images of a certain blue eyed boy – until she realized she could actually talk to him if she got up. She was dressed and ready to go even before Sephiroth.

"Aren't you eager?" he asked, watching her curiously. "Since when do you get up early unless you have to?"

"I'm just...ready to start the day, that's all," she replied, smiling innocently. Sephiroth didn't look convinced.

"Well, I hope you're not as distracted as you were last night."

Aerith felt the heat rise to her cheeks. The night before they'd had a meager meal at the Inn – the owners were highly unprepared for two such prominent members of SOLDIER, though Sephiroth had assured them it was fine – and Aerith had spent most of the meal missing her mouth with the fork. She'd been fiercely concerned with why Zack had looked so angry at the sight of Sephiroth, and why he hadn't come over to talk to her. At least, that was partly why she was distracted. The other part was that she had been playing over in her mind the moment he'd turned to face her, cataloging his every move. For some reason, he seemed vaguely familiar, like a long-lost friend, but she was certain she'd never seen him in her life. She would have remembered eyes like those.

"We're questioning the townspeople today, right?" she said, changing the subject.

"Yes. It shouldn't be hard – rumors spread like wildfire in small towns like these. There's no reason to split up – there's not much ground to cover."

Aerith bit back a frown. She'd been hoping to go out on her own and find that boy. How was she supposed to talk to him with Sephiroth hanging around, being all imposing? Especially since the sight of Sephiroth had already sent Zack stalking off.

When they exited the Inn after a quick breakfast, Aerith immediately surveyed around, on the off chance that Zack might be around. He wasn't...however, his two friends from the other day were.

"Let's talk to them," Aerith said to Sephiroth, pointing. She didn't wait for him to answer, and walked briskly toward them, feeling slightly nervous. She'd had little interaction with civilians her own age, and she wondered if they would think she was weird. The idea wouldn't normally bother her, except...these people knew Zack. And for reasons unknown to her, she desperately wanted to seem normal to _him, _and by extension, his friends.

"Excuse me," she said to the pair, who were deep in conversation. The one with blonde hair looked up at her sharply, his icy blue eyes narrowed in distrust. He looked at her hard for a long moment, and then said, "Huh," as though she hadn't been what he'd expected.

"Sorry to bother you," Sephiroth said smoothly, coming to a stop next to her. The girl stared up at Sephiroth, crimson eyes wary. Aerith wondered if everyone in Nibelheim had unusual eye colors. "We were wondering if you'd heard anything about the mako reactor earlier this year. A couple of months ago, perhaps?"

"What about it?" the blonde said, a bit rudely.

"Cloud," the girl admonished. "Don't be rude." Aerith thought the girl looked a bit faint – Sephiroth tended to have that effect on people, though. He could be intimidating.

"Any monster activity down in the town?" Sephiroth asked, changing tactics.

"What do you care about it?" another voice said, this one with a definite challenging note to it. Aerith spun quickly, heart rate sky rocketing. There _he_ was, standing on the top of the water tower, a disgruntled look on his face. How long had he been there?

"It's your friend," Sephiroth said lowly. She didn't acknowledge him, watching as Zack leaped down from the tower gracefully, landing upright, his boots sending clouds of dust up. His stance was defensive and rigid, his muscles tense. All his attention was focused on Sephiroth.

"We've heard some reports about monster activity -" Sephiroth started, but Zack interrupted him, walking over slowly.

"If there were monsters, we could handle it. We have for years without any help from Shinra." He spat the word 'Shinra', with an ugly grimace on his face, like it had left a bad taste in his mouth.

"I see," Sephiroth said evenly. He was never one to lose his composure.

"We're here to investigate an occurrence that happened up at the reactor," Aerith chimed in, hoping he would look at her and grace her with that same smile from the other day. But he merely looked down at the ground, shrugging.

"So? What're you asking us about it for? Civilians aren't allowed up there, are we?" he asked sarcastically.

"Well, no," Aerith began, feeling all out of sorts. Nobody had ever talked to her with such disdain. It was unnerving.

"We'll need a guide for the path up Mt. Nibel," Sephiroth said firmly. Zack opened his mouth angrily, but then the long haired girl grabbed his army and tugged him over.

"Tifa!" he yelped, glaring at her.

"Excuse us a moment," the girl, Tifa, said. That said, she pulled both boys away; Aerith could hear hushed conversation, but couldn't pick any of it out.

"They don't seem to like Shinra. Especially your little friend," Sephiroth said to her, his eyes on the group.

"No. They don't," Aerith said quietly, frowning. What bothered her more, though, was, in spite of Zack's rudeness and clear dislike, she still had the urge to be near him, to talk to him – or maybe, even get him to look at her. She couldn't fathom why he was avoiding her gaze when he had stared so defiantly into Sephiroth's.

She hugged her arms around her chest, watching the trio intently.

* * *

"Zack, you are being unbelievable rude," Tifa hissed at him, dragging him along.

"Ow, Tifa, let go," he said, stumbling after her. "They're Shinra, who cares if I'm rude?"

"Do you want to give them a reason to suspect us?" she asked him sharply.

"I don't care," Zack said sullenly. "Let them find out."

Tifa glared at him, finally letting go of her arm. 'Well, you might want to openly defy them, but I personally don't want to deal with Sephiroth, the man responsible for ending the war in Wutai. You know, super-strength, undefeated, _Sephiroth_?!"

Zack scoffed, but he didn't seem to have an answer. Cloud sighed, rubbing at his chin.

"I think we ought to cooperate," Tifa continued. Zack gave her an outraged look. "Let me finish," she said, holding her hand up. "I know you don't like Shinra, Zack – you have no reason to. But if I guide them up the mountain, maybe I can find out what they're keeping in the reactor. They'll be able to unlock the doors, after all."

"You're not going with them alone," Cloud said, scowling as much as Zack now.

"Yeah, no way," Zack growled, brows furrowed.

"Fine, you two can come with me."

"Good," Cloud said, relaxing. "After all, there _are _monsters on the mountain."

"You don't think I could take care of myself?" Tifa asked, smiling as she rolled her eyes. "Or what about the two SOLDIERS? I think they're more than prepared to fight."

"I know you can take care of yourself," Cloud said quickly. "As for the SOLDIERS, well, we don't have much reason to trust them. I'd just feel better if I was there with you." He reached across and took her hand, squeezing it lightly.

"Mmhmm," she hummed, holding back laughter. Cloud was rather protective of her.

"Zack?" she asked, looking at him expectantly. He had his hands on his hips, struggling internally. Going with would mean he'd be helping Shinra, which he was dead set against. Not to mention, that girl – what had Sephiroth called her? Aerith. He was afraid of what would happen if he looked her in the eye again. The voice in his head was conflicting with his common sense, the same sense that told him SOLDIER and Shinra was dangerous.

On the other hand, he had no desire to leave his two best friends alone with the people he considered his enemies. He would feel responsible if anything happened to them.

"Fine," he sighed heavily. "We'll take them."

Zack looked over his shoulder back at Sephiroth and Aerith, carefully avoiding her gaze. Anger, and another feeling he couldn't pinpoint, bubbled up in the pit of his stomach, but he ignored it. Tifa led the way to the waiting SOLDIERS, smiling politely.

"Alright. We'll take you up the mountain. It's easy to get lost up there, after all."

"Thank you," Sephiroth replied, and Zack clenched his teeth as the older man spoke. _Thankful, my ass,_ Zack thought. "Introductions are in order, then," Sephiroth continued.

"Don't be silly, Seph," Aerith said, and Zack fought the urge to look at her. Her voice was light and pleasant, a lovely melody to his ears. "Everyone knows who you are. I'm Aerith, by the way," she said, holding her hand out to Tifa, who took it hesitantly and shook it.

"Tifa," she replied, then pointed to Cloud on her right. "This is Cloud, my boyfriend -" Cloud nodded to them, muttering a hello. "- and this is -"

"Zack," Aerith finished for Tifa, and he lost the battle to not look at her. He met her glowing eyes, watching as her mouth curved up into a smile. She was holding her hand out for him to shake, and he looked down at it, keeping his hands stiffly at his sides. His blood was pounding in his head, making him feel lightheaded, but he refused to shake her hand. Somehow, he thought that if he touched her, he would lose his ability to stay cold and aloof around her. She hesitated a moment, her smile faltering, before she let her hand drop back down to her side, looking embarrassed and a little frustrated. Or maybe she was irritated. It was hard for Zack to tell.

"We're wasting time," Sephiroth said in his deep voice, which irritated Zack further. He was the one who'd asked for introductions! "May we please begin?" he asked, and his following politeness only rose Zack's irritation another notch.

"Follow us."

* * *

Well, she had gotten him to look at her. That was something. Cloud and Tifa had taken the front, leading her and Sephiroth up the rocky path to Mt. Nibel. Zack was walking behind them, as if to make sure they didn't try anything funny. It was clear he didn't trust them. Maybe she should have been offended, but she was merely curious as to what made him so angry. She wanted him to trust her. Of course, that was hard to do when he wouldn't even talk to her.

She glanced back at him, startled when she met his eyes. She had expected him to be ignoring her gaze again, but now he was staring at her intently, and it created an odd sensation in her stomach. She thought maybe he could see right through her, right into her thoughts. Gripping her staff, she pulled her eyes away, turning her head to focus on the path in front of her, but still highly aware of his eyes on her. Without conscious thought, her hips began to sway a little more than usual as she walked, which was quite the feet while she climbed the mountain.

"Bombs ahead," Sephiroth warned her, and she paused, squinting through the fog. Sure enough, heading toward them were four floating bombs, their blue bodies flickering through the haze.

"No problem," she replied, stepping forward to meet them, Cloud and Tifa falling behind her. Blue meant ice spells, and that meant they'd be weak to fire...

She felt the warmth of magic as it coursed down her arm, then the tickle of flames as they danced at her fingertips, ready to do her will. She felt Zack's eyes on her, as well as Cloud's and Tifa's, as she let the flames grow brighter, hotter. As the bombs bobbed up, their mouths gaping wide, stubby arms flailing, she silently commanded the flames to go, and they shot from her hand in four large fireballs. The fire enveloped the monsters, and she heard them shriek briefly before they disintegrated, leaving nothing but ash.

"You've gotten better at controlling them, I see," Sephiroth said, watching passively.

"Yes," she answered simply as the spell petered out, the air still filled with the smell of the flames. No one else said anything, though Cloud and Tifa shot her another wary look before continuing on. She couldn't help looking back at Zack to see what he had thought of her little performance, but he was staring at his own hand, brows furrowed in concentration, as though he were trying to conjure his own fire.

"You'd need materia," she told him conversationally, falling back to walk with him. His eyes flicked up to meet hers, and he dropped his hand to his side.

"Hmm," was all he said, then he sped up, passing right by her, then Sephiroth, until he came up to Cloud and Tifa, falling into step with them easily.

She sighed, clapping her hands together lamely. "That went well," she muttered to herself.

* * *

This had been, perhaps, the hardest trip up the mountain Zack had ever experienced. Not because the climb was hard, but because Aerith was making it incredibly difficult to concentrate. There had been one point where she'd looked back at him, catching him staring at her. Realizing he was caught, but not wanting to look guilty about it, he stared her straight in the eye until she looked away. And then she began to walk a bit differently, and his eyes fell automatically to watch her hips sway. She had rather nice hips, he thought.

"Bombs ahead," Sephiroth warned them, and he tore his eyes away, cursing himself. He watched, his curiosity tinged with awe, as Aerith eliminated the bombs with fire and an ease he'd never been able to pull off when he'd had to fight them off with his bare hands. She didn't even look tired, and he wondered how she had summoned the fire to her hand, much less controlled it. He looked down at his own hand, staring hard, willing fire to appear there. Nothing.

"You'd need materia," Aerith said suddenly, and he realized everyone else was already walking ahead, and she had fallen back to walk with him. His heart rate accelerated alarmingly. He dropped his hand to his side, fighting back the urge to run – or to grab her hand and pull her closer, to go somewhere a little more private...

He hummed an answer, steering his thoughts away from dangerous territory.

**_Talk to her._**

_ No._ He replied to the voice in his head firmly, and he sped past her, joining up with Cloud and Tifa in the front.

"Are you okay, Zack?" Cloud asked, his hair ruffling in the rising wind. It was getting colder as the gained elevation on the mountain.

"Just thought I'd come see how you two are," he said quickly, aware of Aerith's eyes on him. He wondered – and was rather pleased, though he wouldn't admit it – why Aerith seemed so keen to talk to him. Did she feel the same sort of pull he felt toward her?

"Impressive magic, don't you think?" Tifa said, commenting on the earlier spectacle.

"She didn't use materia," Zack muttered, frowning. "How did she do that?"

Cloud shrugged, just as lost as he was. As they rounded the next bend, Zack hesitated. His mako pool was up ahead. It'd been a while since his last soaking, he realized, although he could hardly jump in now, not with their 'guests'. Aerith stopped quite suddenly in front of the pool, looking at it curiously. Zack watched as she began to reach toward it, and he unconsciously held his breath. Suddenly, Sephiroth's hand reached out and grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her.

"That's pure mako, Aerith. What are you thinking?" he scolded her, and she shrugged sheepishly.

"Sorry. I don't know what came over me." She gave one more backwards glance at the pool and then walked away. Zack watched her, this time with a frown. What had compelled her to reach for the mako? Shouldn't she, of all people, know what it was? He could hardly ask, though, not with his vow to keep silent around her.

"Weird," he muttered.

"You take baths in it monthly," Cloud said under his breath, grinning slightly. "Are you sure you can judge?"

"I'm kind of a special case," Zack shot back.

"Well, maybe she is, too," Tifa pointed out. "What're you so tetchy for anyway? Is it that time of month again?" she asked, and they smiled. They had take to referring to his bath's as "that time of the month", especially since he tended to get tired and moody when his energy was running low. Tifa had long ago explained the symptoms of her own time of the month (much to Cloud and Zack's own horror), and they had kept the joke running.

"No," he said mulishly. He wasn't going to tell them he was tense because of Aerith. He could just imagine the teasing he would get if they found out he was attracted to her – or, worse, the looks of disgust on their faces when they found out he liked someone from _Shinra_. "It's getting colder," he said, changing the subject.

"I hope we don't get hit by a snowstorm," Tifa said, agreeing.

* * *

Naturally, they were hit by a snowstorm. They weren't that uncommon, even in September, especially up on the mountain. It had begun to snow heavily not long after Tifa had commented on the weather – Cloud told her they had jinxed the group – and it was steadily building up. The gusting wind made it nearly impossible to see where they were going, and the temperature dropped rapidly. Zack saw Tifa shivering, and Cloud wrapping his arms around her to warm her up. Sephiroth and Aerith, on the other hand, hardly seemed affected by the change in weather.

"Are we almost there?" Sephiroth asked, his green eyes glowing eerily in the white haze that surrounded them. Zack thought Aerith's eyes were much nicer – they were a darker shade of green, and quite lovely. He hissed in annoyance as his thoughts turned to her again, and he scowled at Sephiroth.

"We can't see, can we?" he spat out, disgruntled.

"We have to go back," Tifa said, raising her voice over the howling wind. "It's too dangerous to continue!"

"We're nearly there," Sephiroth said, his silver hair whipping up around him. "Aerith and I will continue on to the reactor. You're free to go back," he said.

"Are you crazy?" Zack shouted, staring at the man. "You know what? Nevermind. Good luck!" he said sarcastically. "Try not to fall off the edge of the mountain!"

And with that, he turned sharply and started hurriedly down the mountain.

After a moment's hesitation, Tifa and Cloud followed him, figuring two SOLDIERS would be fine on their own.

"Stay close, Aerith," Sephiroth said as their guides quickly disappeared into the thick flurry of snowflakes. "We should be there in no time."

Aerith nodded, eyes still locked on the spot where Zack had disappeared, Tifa and Cloud behind him. She was more worried for them, than herself.

"Come on," Sephiroth said, and Aerith reluctantly followed him, squinting into the storm.  
However, they were apparently further from the reactor than they thought. The storm kicked up, and now the wind was positively wretched. She was warm enough, able to control her body heat through various forms of magic and due to treatments she had received at Shinra, but the wind made it hard to stay upright, and even more difficult to see, because of the amount of snow it was blowing into her face. Sephiroth was just barely visible in front of her, his back hunched over as he too struggled to stay upright.

Suddenly, Aerith stumbled, falling to the snow covered ground. She hastily got back up, wiping the snow from her face and hair. She peered into the white around her. Sephiroth had disappeared.

"Sephiroth!" she shouted, hurrying forward as best she could. Her voice was lost in the wind. She stumbled again, then, angry, cast a fire spell, melting the snow around her and warming her up considerably. That taken care of, she started forward again, this time able to walk much more easily. Still, he was nowhere to be seen, and while her spell had been useful, she had also inadvertently erased any footprints she could have followed.

"Oh rats," she mumbled miserably to herself. Where could he have gotten to? She stopped melting the snow, hoping to catch signs of his footprints in the snow up ahead, her eyes focused on the ground. She trudged through the snow diligently, squinting her eyes in hopes of catching any sign of movement – and then her foot slipped, and she began to fall. She let out a sharp shriek, but then two arms caught her around the waist firmly and tugged her back from the ledge she'd nearly walked right off of.

"Oh, Seph, thank goodness you found me," she gasped, turning her head to face him, her heart pounding in her chest. "I nearly-" she faltered as her eyes locked onto glowing blue eyes. "Zack," she said, completely shocked. She was suddenly aware of his arms, still wrapped around her waist. Her nerves seemed to catch fire, and her skin tingled pleasantly at the point of contact. She felt different. Like something that had gone missing had returned, like she was whole again. She'd never even realized anything _was_ missing, though.

"Are you okay?" he asked, and for the first time, his voice was free of disdain, filled with concern. Goosebumps rose on her skin at the sound of his low, soft voice, and she had to restrain herself from moving closer to him.

"I- yes. Thank you," she said, her face heating. Then he frowned at her, his arms slipping away, and the wholeness she had felt went with it, leaving behind an empty feeling, and the need to make it go away.

"Did they train you to be stupid at Shinra, or do you just have no common sense?" he asked harshly.

"What?" she asked, color rising to her face, but this time from anger.

"I mean, I thought you were supposed to know how to take orders. But instead, you go charging up a freezing mountain top in a snow storm, where you can't see a _damn _thing, and you nearly fall right off the edge! I told you, didn't I?" he snapped.

"Well if you think I'm so stupid, why did you save me?" she snapped back, her fists curled into tight balls at her side.

"Do you think I want your death on my conscience?" he asked. "No way!"

"How did you even know I was here?" she shot back. "You went back down the mountain."

At this, his face softened and twisted up, like he was debating something. Then he said," I followed you up. I wasn't going to let you get hurt. I mean. I'm not Shinra. I care about what happens to people. We agreed to be your guides, so...I'm partly responsible for what happens to you."

"Shinra cares what happens to people," she said, more quietly this time.

"Yeah right," he breathed out, his breath visible in the cold air. "Where'd your boyfriend go, anyway?"

"I don't know. I lost him somewhere. I was trying to find him right before I slipped. And he's not my boyfriend," she added as an afterthought.

Zack didn't reply to this, but rubbed his arms vigorously. He was wearing a long sleeved shirt, but it wasn't enough to keep the cold out, clearly.

"You're cold," she stated.

"I can't believe you're not," he said, glancing at her in her dress.

"We'll have to wait here for Sephiroth. He'll find us eventually. I'll light a fire. Sit down," she said, and he plopped down on the ground, shivering slightly. With a flick of her index finger, she started a fire on the ground, willing it to burn brightly, and to stay strong, even through the wind. She realized that already the wind had begun to die down a little.

"I guess the storm's clearing up," she said, sitting down next to the fire. Zack sat huddled next to it, shivering slightly.

"No. It's just the eye of the storm," he said with certainty. "The mountain will be snowed in for a while. Who knows how long."

The fire crackled next to them, thought Zack still looked cold, and a little more than tired. The trip back up the mountain to chase after her must have been exhausting.

"Thank you for saving my life," she said quietly. He looked up and over at her, his eyes and expression serious.

"You may be part of Shinra – but I don't think you deserve to die."

"...Why do you hate Shinra?" she asked after a moment. He grimaced and looked down at his hands.

"That's my business."

"Sorry," she replied, realizing she had been nosy.

"How do you do magic without materia?" he asked, staring at her hands now.

"Confidential," she said with a small smile.

"Oh," he replied flatly, averting his eyes.

"I'm just kidding," she said, and he looked up again. "I'm a 1st Class Mage. Magic comes naturally to me, I guess."

"Oh," he said again, his voice piqued with curiosity and interest. "I've never heard of a Mage."

"I'm the only one," she said, and he laughed for the first time around her. His laughter was deep and pleasant. She liked it.

"I suppose you don't have much competition, then" he said with a grin. Her heart fluttered at the sight of his crooked smile, eyes glinting merrily. _This_ was more like the boy she'd spotted the other day. Not the angry man she'd come up the mountain with.

"I see you're talking to me now," she said, scooting a bit closer to him.

"Hmmm. The voice in my head kept telling me to," he said, his mouth twitching. _The voice in his head..._Familiarity flickered deep in the back of her mind. Again, she had the feeling she was missing something.

"Does this mean you trust me now?"

"No..." he said slowly, shaking his head, his smile fading. Then he looked her in the eyes, that intense look in them again. "But I don't distrust you either."

"That's better than nothing, I guess," she answered, grinning.

* * *

They waited for Sephiroth, but he didn't come. And while they waited, Zack grew more and more pale, and his shaking more violent.

"Zack?" Aerith asked hesitantly, because his head was buried in his arms.

"Mako..." he whispered, barely audible. Then he grew limp and slumped over. Aerith's eyes widened and she crawled over to him, propping him up easily. She didn't look very strong, but behind her delicate looks was the strength of SOLDIER. She shook him gently. "Zack?"

He looked barely conscious, his eyelids fluttering, his breathing shallow and wheezy. She did the only thing she could think of and gave him a shot of healing magic. His body glowed green for a second, and his eyes opened wide, his pupils large, breathing deeply and quickly. He blinked rapidly, then his eyes focused on her.

"Mako pool," he gasped, instead of saying 'thank you' or anything close to a thanks.

"What?" she asked dubiously.

"I need to- I need to go to the mako pool," he said, shifting to his knees unsteadily, making as if to get up.

"Are you sick?" she asked him, helping him up.

"In a way," he answered, coughing. "Help me down there."

He slung an arm around her shoulder, leaning heavily against her, but she took his weight and they began to walk unsteadily down the mountain. Several times, his head drooped alarmingly and she thought he'd passed out again, but every time he opened his eyes blearily and continued on. It was easier going down the mountain, especially since the snow had let up some, but it was also slick with ice where snow had melted and froze.

"You're warm," he mumbled, sounding sluggish.

"Magic," she answered back absently, readjusting her grip around his waist. She couldn't understand what had brought on his sudden bout of symptoms. What was at the mako pool?

Eventually, the green glow came into sight. He pulled away from her and stumbled toward the pool, lurching alarmingly.

"Zack!" she said, hurrying after him to keep him from falling in.

"Stop," he said when she grabbed him, pushing her arms away. Then, without removing his clothes, he slipped into the pool, submersing himself in the mako. Aerith's eyes widened. Was he trying to kill himself?!

"Zack!" she said again, sharply. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"Healing," he mumbled, and as she watched him critically, she saw he was right. He was regaining his color, and already he was sitting up straighter, looking healthier again, even better than when she'd first seen him. He glowed with mako, bright and enchanting, and Aerith held her breath. How was he doing this? Was he like her in some way? It was like magic...but different.

When he climbed out, he looked like a brand new person, even though he was dripping with mako.

"I don't understand," she said, shaking her head. "Pure mako...it can have detrimental effects on people, just being around it...and you just...you just..." she was at a loss for words.

"I guess I should explain," he said, tilting his head toward her. "But I won't. Not now."

"When?" she asked him, brows furrowing.

"When I trust you. If I trust you," he added, and then he turned and began to walk down the mountain, flecks of mako flying off his clothes as the wind blew past him.

"Hey, where're you going?" she asked, running after him.

"The storm's going to start again. I, for one, want to change into something a little less...wet. You may have magic to keep you warm, but I don't think freezing to death is very appealing."

"What about Sephiroth?" she asked, looking up the mountain.

"He's a big boy. He'll be okay."

"What if he falls off the mountain like I almost did?" she asked, catching up with him.

"Hum. Well, let's trust that the _greatest_ SOLDIER won't blindly walk off a mountainside, eh? We won't be able to find him once the storm picks up anyway."

"Well, what am I supposed to do then?" she asked.

"Wait. At the Inn, I guess. That's where you're staying, aren't you?"

"Yeah..." Aerith sighed. She was dying with curiosity about Zack – how exactly did he leave a pool of mako looking for all the world like a god? Not to mention, she wasn't looking forward to staying in a strange town all by herself – SOLDIER or not, she was only 17, and she was used to company at home. There was always someone around – Cissnei, Sephiroth, Tseng, or any number of admiring SOLDIERS. "Couldn't I wait with you?" she asked, hoping to get to know him a little more. It was strange – she was so used to boys chasing after her, only to turn them down. Now here was the boy she _wanted _to chase her, but he wasn't. He was avoiding her, for the most part – unless she counted when he'd hiked up the mountain to look after her. Not quite the chasing she wanted. She was looking more for...him sweeping her off her feet, say.

"Why would you want to do that?" he asked sharply, and she flushed. She had turned into a blushing fool around him. It was a little embarrassing, because she almost never blushed – but Zack was leaving her feeling all out of sorts.

"I just...don't want to wait alone," she said quietly, looking away.

"...you're not at all what I thought you would be." She glanced up at him. He was looking at her thoughtfully.

"Does that mean I can come with you?" she asked hopefully, her hands twisting together.

"I suppose," he said with a half grin on his face. "Come on."

Aerith bit back a barely suppressed cheer, opting to smile instead. Smiles weren't nearly as strange as randomly bursting out in happiness. She knew she should have been worried about Sephiroth, but Zack was right – he was more than capable of taking care of himself. Zack made it hard to focus on other things, anyway. He seemed to demand all of her attention.

"Thanks."

* * *

**A/N: Aaand Chapter 4 is done. W00t. I didn't get as many reviews as I was expecting, but oh well. I'm grateful to the few dedicated readers who have reviewed. You have my thanks – and this chapter – as your reward. (; I'll try to update soon, but as I'm reaching the end of my school quarter, that may be difficult. I'll try and persevere, though! Please review, and I'll do my best to keep you all from waiting!**


	6. Making a Civilian Out of Her

**Chapter 5: Making A Civilian Out of Her**

**

* * *

**

As Zack and Aerith reentered the village, which hadn't gotten nearly as much snow as the mountains, a voice rang out.

"Aerith! There you are!" It was Sephiroth, looking relieved at the sight of her. Zack felt slightly disgruntled – so the man hadn't fallen off the mountainside.

"Seph!" she cried out, smiling broadly. "You're okay. How'd you know to find me back here?"

"After I lost sight of you, I turned around to try and find you – I couldn't see a thing in the blizzard, though. So I made my way down the mountain, knowing that when the weather cleared you'd eventually turn around too."

"Zack helped me, actually," she said, gesturing back to him, the smile still on her face.

"Thank you," he man said sincerely, but Zack didn't trust Sephiroth any more than he could throw him. He wondered if he _could_ throw Sephiroth. The idea sounded a little appealing.

"Yeah," Zack said gruffly, biting his tongue. "I guess I should go," he said, his eyes meeting Aerith's briefly. He was...disappointed. The little time he'd allowed himself to spend with her and open up a little...hadn't been so bad, admittedly. Already, though, he felt himself closing up around the other SOLDIER.

"Oh. Right," she said, uncertain.

"We'll see you tomorrow then?" Sephiroth asked.

"Why?" Zack blurted incredulously.

"So you can guide us back up the mountain to the reactor."

Zack snorted, shaking his head and laughing. "The mountain pass won't be cleared. I'd be surprised if we didn't get more snow tonight. Winter's come early this year," he said with a sniff, looking back up at the looming mountain. "We'll have to wait until it clears up. You guys might have to go back home, even," he added, and he felt a twinge at his words. A small part of him panicked at the idea of Aerith leaving already, before he'd even gotten to know her. The other part insisted it was a good thing.

"I see," Sephiroth said slowly, a calculating look on his face. "Perhaps you're right."  
"Seph, we can't leave," Aerith said quickly, eyes darting between him and Zack. "I mean, we're supposed to investigate. Shinra never said how long we'd be here – we'll just have to call them and inform them of the situation. I'm sure they'll understand..."

"Aerith, it makes no sense for us to stay here if we can't go up the mountain. You know we're needed back at Shinra for other things..." he trailed off, looking pointedly at Zack.

"All right, I get the point. Confidential conversation. But I'd take it back to your Inn if I were you – if anyone hears you, word will travel like wildfire around here," Zack said, both glad and reluctant to leave. He forced himself away, though – he had to go make sure Tifa and Cloud had made it down the mountain okay.

"Bye," he said, without a backwards glance. He had a feeling that if he looked at Aerith, he wouldn't make himself go.

* * *

"Sephiroth," Aerith said angrily, frustrated with the man. They had taken Zack's advice and returned to their room.

"Aerith," he shot back gently. "You know we can't stay."

"But we haven't investigated! That was the whole point of us coming out here – and...what about the terrorist group that's supposedly up here? Shouldn't that be looked into as well?"

"I can't wait around here for the mountain to clear up. We'll have plenty of time to investigate when it does – no one will be able to get up the mountain if we can't. Like I told you, we're needed back at the company."

"You're needed," she said sullenly, crossing her arms across her chest. And then a brilliant idea hit her. "You're needed...but they'll be fine without me. What if I stayed?"

Sephiroth frowned, opening his mouth to protest, but Aerith interrupted him before he could get a word in.

"No, it's a good idea! I can stay and investigate – find out about this anti-Shinra group, and I can wait till the mountain path clears up. That way, someone will be here right when it melts. Otherwise, we'll have to wait until late spring, early summer to get this done, right? And when the path clears up, I can call right away and they'll fly you in."

"Aerith, you're only seventeen..."

"And I can take care of myself!" she said exasperatedly. She loved Sephiroth, she did, but he could be such a worrywart about her sometimes. "I'm a SOLDIER. A Turk. _A secret weapon._ I've been trained for this. Please," she added, widening her eyes. Sephiroth could never resist her when she made **the face** at him. She could see his resolve wavering already.

"...Fine. But you get to make the call to President Shinra. You have him to convince, not me."

"Understood," she said, while containing her glee inside. President Shinra would be a piece of cake.

* * *

The helicopter came for Sephiroth the next day, landing out in the field outside of the village.

"Stay safe," Sephiroth said. "And don't hesitate to call if you need anything..."

She almost rolled her eyes, but she stopped herself. "I know, I know Seph. I'll be fine. You were fighting a war when you were my age, or don't you remember? This will be a cinch in comparison."

He grunted, and she supposed that was his way of answering.

"Thanks, I'll miss you, too," she teased him. He stopped and smiled slightly.

"Don't get into too much trouble, okay?"

"I can't promise anything," she answered with a laugh.

And then he got in the helicopter and she watched as it lifted off and sped away, the wind blowing her hair frantically.

"Where's he going?"

Aerith turned, startled by Zack's sudden appearance. How had he sneaked up on her?

"Er – he's needed back at Sh-home." She'd realized that Zack never took kindly to the mention of Shinra. Even though she'd avoided saying the name, he still grimaced.

"And what about you?" he asked, his voice lower.

"I'm staying – this investigation isn't over, after all."

Now he was looking at her intently, and her heart sped up again, as it always seemed to do when he was around. He had a crooked little smile on his face, his arms folded across his powerful chest. He really did look quite attractive...

"You just signed up to be bored out of your mind, then," he told her, and she pulled her mind away from her thoughts.

"What? Really?" she asked, disoriented.

"It's a small town. Not much to do unless you have the right company."

"Oh?" she asked again (where had her extensive vocabulary gone?), smiling.

"Yeah. And your company just left," he pointed to the sky.

"Well, maybe you can be my company," she said boldly.

"Won't I be in the way of your investigation?"

She shook her head, grinning. "I can't do anything until the snow clears. So maybe..." she hesitated. "Maybe I can just be a normal girl for once."

He blinked at her, then, the look on his face changing to curiosity, and maybe, she thought, a little sympathy.

"Yeah. I'll keep you company," he said finally, his grin returning, which resulted in Aerith's insides to turn to mush. "And, I'll show you how to enjoy yourself. I can't imagine you had a lot of fun back at...home," he said, avoiding Shinra's name as well.

"Well, I always had my friend, Cissnei...she's the only other person my age around," she said, walking leisurely back to Nibelheim. Zack followed beside her, an easy lope in his step.

"What, another female SOLDIER? I'm surprised."

"No, she's a Turk," Aerith said. "But...I haven't really interacted with any civilians my own age," she admitted. He looked offended at being called a civilian. "I just mean," she began hastily. "What I meant to say is...Cissnei and I know how to react...at work. And with men in suits and soldiers...but I don't really know how...to just be my own age, I guess."

"...Are you sure you stayed to investigate?" Zack asked after a long moment, where he chewed his lip thoughtfully. "It sounds to me like you stayed just so you can use me and my friends to have fun." His tone wasn't accusing though, and he was grinning at her with a sly look on his face.

"I assure you, this is very important to the investigation," she said, unable to bite back a giggle. "I must, um, thoroughly immerse myself in your...culture...as to understand the ill effects monsters might have on your society...and to discover the reasoning behind the mystery at the mako reactor," she said with finality. Zack stared at her, a blank expression on his face. "What?" she asked, her face heating.

"You really don't know how to be your own age, do you?" he asked, though there was no mocking edge, just sincere curiosity and surprise.

"No," she admitted, blushing more. "I know, I know. Sixteen and already I'm an accomplished member of SOLDIER, a Turk, a Mage...but I don't know the first thing about being _normal._"

"Trust me – I don't either," he said with a wink.

"Yeah...you frequent mako fountains and take baths in them," she said. He shifted, looking away from her, clearly uncomfortable with the subject. "I won't ask you about it," she promised, and he looked relieved.

"...Thanks."

"So...what _do_ you do in a small town like this?" she asked curiously.

"Well...if you're old, nothing. If you're young like me...still nothing. And if you're Cloud and Tifa..." he trailed off, grinning.

"What?"

"If you're Cloud and Tifa, you're usually sneaking off somewhere to make out."

"I...what? I'm not sure I understand..." He gave her an incredulous look, still grinning strangely.

"You know. Kiss. Heavily. And Cloud...well, he's a bit handsy, sometimes," Zack said, wiggling his fingers.

"How do you know?" she blushed, trying not to picture it.

"Oh, I make it a game – I try to find them when they've gone and disappeared. Make sure they don't get into too much trouble..." he chuckled.

"You just interrupt them?"

"Of course – they're used to it. Their hiding places aren't as good anymore, though. They've run out of places, I think."

"Okay..." she wasn't sure she understood the game. It seemed a bit strange.

"That's what we're going to do first. And you'll get some hands on experience on how to separate two nearly inseparable objects. It's quite a feat," he added, with a winning smile.

"Um. Alright. Where are we going to look first?"

"Maybe over by the old mansion. Tifa doesn't really like it, but I don't usually check there first..."

"Except today," Aerith pointed out.

"Exactly. Hey," he said, pausing. They had reached the small archway of the town.

"Yes?" He crossed his arms over his chest, then dropped them again. Then he scratched at the back of his head, looking uncertain.

"So do you...what I mean to say is...do you have a, uh, special guy back home?"

"What, like a boyfriend?" she asked, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Yeah, like one of those."

"No."

His mouth quirked up a little bit, like he was trying to hide a smile. "Well, that's good."

"Why's that?" she asked him, crossing her own arms.

"Well, I don't imagine he'd be very happy to find out you're flirting with me."

"What? I am not," she spluttered and blushing very obviously. She cursed her cheeks – silently, of course. She didn't need him thinking she was even stranger than he already did.

"No need to get defensive," he said, throwing his hands up. "You don't have a boyfriend, remember? So it's all good."

"You're just..." she fumbled for the right words, completely thrown off guard by his forwardness. "You're full of yourself," she finally said, shaking her head.

"You know, Cloud and Tifa tell me the same thing sometimes. Speaking of which – follow me!"

* * *

Zack had been slightly disappointed when Cloud and Tifa weren't hiding around the mansion.

"Where have they gone this time?" he wondered aloud, tapping his chin. "Sometimes," he began conversationally, looking to Aerith, who quite frankly, looked bewildered by what was going on. "Sometimes, they know I'm on the hunt and they move around. But usually they get too caught up in each other and that's when I catch them..." he grinned.

"The hunt?" she sounded amused. "Don't they get mad that you're always interrupting them?"

"No, of course not! Well, maybe a little," he relented. "But it's for their own good. You'll see." He peered around, squinting into the gray day. "Hmmm...I bet they trailed back to the water tower. Seems a bit predictable, but maybe they want me to think that to throw me off..."

"You're really quite strange," Aerith told him.

"Why, thank you," he said, ignoring the possibility that she may have been insulting him. He didn't think she was, she was just...stating the obvious, he supposed.

"To the water tower!" he said, and he lurched forward, listening as Aerith hurried after him. "This is a great way for you to familiarize yourself with the town, too," he pointed out with another grin. "You'll know all the hotspots." A part of him wondered if it was wise to be giving that kind of information away to _the enemy_...but he couldn't help himself.

"Ah, there they are," he said, skidding to a stop. Sure enough, Cloud and Tifa were under the water tower, looking rather...engaged with each other. He heard a small moan and he shifted uncomfortably. "Ah...maybe you should stay over here while I grow break up the session. I think they might be a little embarrassed if they knew you had seen them..."

"Right. I'll just..avert my eyes then," she mumbled, looking very pink and wide eyed.

"Great." He made his way loudly over to Cloud and Tifa, hoping to alert them of his presence – but they just kept at it. It was astonishing, really. It was as if their faces were glued together, and they lost all ability to hear when they were like this. Zack watched as Cloud's hands began to wander and he let out a cry.

"Hey there! Slow down kiddos!" he said, grabbing Cloud's hand. Cloud and Tifa parted, their lips both looking swollen, and they seemed a little disoriented.

"What?" Cloud said stupidly, blinking.

"Do what you will in the privacy of your own homes," Zack said, knowing full well that neither could do anything more than snuggle on the couch in their own homes – the price of living with your parents. "But there are innocent children out here who could be scarred for life by your little show."

"Zack, there are no kids. _We_ were the kids, remember?"

"Well, Aerith saw you," he said bluntly, and they both flushed.

"What's she still doing here?" Cloud asked as he extricated himself from Tifa's limbs.

"Spying on us," Zack said, trying hard to keep his face straight.

"What, really? I thought that helicopter came to take them back home," Tifa said, smoothing back her hair.

"What reason would she really have to spy on us?" Zack scoffed. "It's not like she knows about...well..." he trailed off, glancing in her direction. "No...she's here doing her job, I guess. Waiting for the snow to melt."

"Just what is she planning to do in the meantime?" Cloud asked, straightening his clothes.

"We're going to teach her how to be normal," Zack said with a grin.

"Haha, that's funny. She'll be the least normal person ever with you teaching her," Cloud teased and Zack shoved him lightly.

"Shut up," he said, his face growing warm.

Tifa was laughing too, a mischievous grin forming. "So you kindly offered to show her around?" she asked, brow raising. He frowned. Tifa was too observant for her own good.

"She asked, actually," he said, looking down at his boots. They were very interesting suddenly.

"Oh ho!" Cloud barked out, ribbing Zack knowingly.

"It seems like Zack's got an admirer," Tifa crowed.

"Who?"

Zack turned so quickly he almost fell over his own feet, his face growing warm as he wondered how much Aerith had heard. She had slipped up so quietly behind him that he'd no idea how long she'd been there.

"You, of course," Cloud quipped and Zack shoved him hard so that he fell on his butt. "Hey!" Cloud yelped.

"Ignore him," Zack pleaded. "He's slightly insane. In fact, he may have to be quarantined in his house for the rest of your visit."

"Is insanity contagious now?" Aerith asked, eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Yes. This kind is. Tifa's probably got it now too – I mean, you saw how their faces were attached earlier, right?" Zack tried not to think of how it would feel if his own lips were attached to Aerith's. _Stop it._

"Hmm. It sounds like you'd just like to get me alone, Zack," she replied, and now she was wearing a wicked smile, one that sent his heart racing. His face heated up even more and he shook his head, holding his hands up defensively.

"That's not what I meant at all -" he began, even though the idea sounded rather appealing.

"So you don't want to be alone with me?" she asked, tilting her head, eyes widening.

"I didn't mean that either," he blustered. And then she laughed, and he realized she'd been teasing him. Tifa and Cloud were red in the face from their own laughter.

"Ah. I see," Zack said, dropping his hands to his sides. "Now you're making fun of me." He crossed his arms over his chest, attempting to look stern, but his face kept twitching upward in a smile.

"I wondered when you'd catch on," Aerith gasped, holding her sides. "Your face..."

"I thought you didn't know how to act around civilians," he retorted. "You seemed to be doing just fine."

"I'm a quick learner," she shrugged innocently.

"Don't you try that look on me," he said, shaking his head. "I'm onto your game now."

"Good," she said, her eyes locking onto his. He held her gaze, his stomach turning over. She had the prettiest eyes...he shook his head firmly, tearing his eyes away. Behind those pretty eyes was a trained SOLDIER. He couldn't believe he was letting her get to him. Maybe it was all part of a plot to lure him into a false sense of security...then again, he realized, he was probably just being paranoid. What could they possibly want from him, anyway?

"So tell me, what do you do once you've completed this game?" she asked, gesturing to Cloud and Tifa, who blushed with embarrassment.

"Oh, whatever happens to come to my mind," he shrugged, glad he had regained control of his tongue, even if he had not reigned in his racing heart.

"I think...sledding, today," Tifa said slowly, glancing up to the mountain.

"Last one up the mountain is a chocobo herder!"

Zack bit back a grin as Aerith watched in bewilderment as Cloud and Tifa tore off toward their houses to get their sleds.

"Come on, SOLDIER," he said, giving her a sloppy salute. "You don't want to be a smelly chocobo herder, do you?"

"You didn't say smelly before."

"Damn, I knew I forgot something!" he snapped his fingers, then grinned. "Hurry along then!"

* * *

Civilians were truly a strange breed, Aerith thought. She had raced after Zack to his house, where he'd insisted she change clothes, and then went barreling outside again with a sled under his arm, a laugh escaping his mouth as he huffed up the mountain. She kept up easily, but she was confused as to _why _they were in such a hurry. She could see Cloud and Tifa already racing toward the mountain, both with their own sleds as well.

"Shit," Zack gasped and put on a burst of speed to catch up with his friends.

"Why are we running for our lives?" Aerith gasped out, huffing in the increasingly cold air.

"'Cause!" he replied shortly. "It's fun!"

He tore past Cloud and Tifa, who gave out cries of protest.

"No fair!" Cloud shouted, lunging forward.

"Ha ha!" Zack laughed out, darting out of Cloud's reach.

When they finally stopped, they all collapsed on the ground, panting and laughing.

"You lose, Tifa," Zack wheezed, an irrepressible grin on his face.

"I suppose...that makes me...a chocobo herder."

"Cloud must be the chocobo," Zack said and Cloud weakly hit him.

"Shuddap," Cloud gasped.

"I don't understand," Aerith said, gazing at the three in confusion, not at all out of breath. "Why did we race up here?"

All three of them gave her a strange look.

"For the fun of it," Zack repeated, sitting up as he regained his breath again.

"Oh," Aerith said, wondering where the fun had been. It was more like another training drill for her, running up a mountainside. "Well, what now?" she asked.

"Now we sled," Tifa said, rising from the ground and brushing snow off her clothes. "Or freeze to death on the mountain," she added thoughtfully.

"I've never been sledding," Aerith admitted, looking at wooden sleds skeptically.

"It's easy," Cloud assured her.

"It's fun," Zack said, grinning. "But uh, we only have three. We'll just take turns, I suppose," he said, and the group nodded.

"Do you always make decisions as a whole?" Aerith asked, smiling slightly. They were almost like one person, or perhaps, just extensions of one another. She'd never really had that kind of closeness with anyone, unless she counted Cissnei.

The group shrugged simultaneously at her question, and she burst into laughter. "I see."

Cloud and Tifa both sat themselves down firmly on their sleds, wide grins on their faces.

"Race you!" Cloud crowed, and Tifa pushed him, causing him to sprawl sideways out of her sled.

"See you at the bottom, slowpoke!" she cried, and with her legs, propelled herself forward. The metal rails on the bottom of the sled gave way on the slick snow and she shot down the mountainside, cheering.

Aerith watched with fascination as Cloud scrambled to get back on his sled and chase after Tifa.

"So, do you want to go first or do you want to wait?" Zack asked, holding the sled upright.

"It doesn't seem very safe," she said, looking dubiously at the sled again.

"You scared?" Zack asked, a challenging look on his face. "You're SOLDIER aren't you? How can you be scared of a sled?"

"I'm not scared of a sled," she shot back in defense. "I'm scared of smashing my head open and trailing bits of my brain behind on a mountainside."  
"A legitimate concern," he conceded. "Well, hop on."

"Didn't you hear me?" she asked him as he plopped the sled on the ground, steadying it with his hands.

"Yes, I'm not hard of hearing," he assured her, gesturing at the sled. "Sit. I'll go down with you."

She thought that his cheeks had taken on a pinkish hue, but perhaps it was just the cold of the air getting to him.

"Is there enough room for two people on this thing?" she asked as she sat down hesitantly. She could see now why Zack had made her change into some pants back at his house. Trying to sit on the sled in a dress would have been rather...awkward.

"We'll be fine," he said. Aerith felt the warmth of his breath on her neck as he settled in behind her, acutely aware of the tingle in her spine and the hair standing up on her body at his proximity. Then his arms came up around her hesitantly, then more tightly.

"Hang on," he said, and she thought he sounded a bit nervous. Surely he wasn't nervous about sledding, she reasoned. He'd done it plenty of times before. So the nervousness must have come from being next to her. Aerith wasn't sure if he was nervous because he didn't like her or nervous because he _did_, though.

_If he really protested, he wouldn't be sitting behind me, would he?_ She assured herself, her magic positively coming alive under her skin. Never had her magic reacted to anyone in this way before.

"Go," he breathed in her ear, and he shoved forcefully from the ground, sending them careening wildly down the mountain. A thrill built up in her throat, threatening to burst forth in a shrill squeal, but she bit it back, opting to grin broadly instead. Zack whooped behind her, arms tightening around her middle as they flew over a bump, and they went flying into the air, defying gravity for a spectacular moment. The sled rushed back to the ground with a jarring thud and she felt her body pull away from the sled, Zack still holding her. They rolled off, sliding down the mountain on top of the slick snow and ice, slowly coming to a stop as the sled continued on without them. Zack released her, sprawling out in the snow, laughing heartily.

"Are you okay?" he asked, the laughter still bubbling from his lips, as his eyes met hers.

"That was crazy," she said, shaking her head. "We could have died!"

"The snow broke our fall," he shrugged, rising to a sitting position, brushing said snow from his shoulders. "Did you really not like it?" he asked her, his brow furrowing.

"...I loved it," she admitted, smirking. "But our sled has run away from us, it seems."

He laughed again, nodding. "It does that sometimes. I suppose we ought to go after it and give that another try. Maybe we'll make it all the way down the mountain this time."

* * *

"Thank you for the soup, Mrs. Fair," Aerith said politely, sipping at the warm broth in front of her.

"Where'd you find this one, Zack?" his mother asked him, smiling softly. "A polite, beautiful young lady just happened to show up on this mountain? Or did you kidnap her from a nearby village?"

"Oh, no, Mrs. Fair, I'm quite well trained in the art of stealth and espionage. Zack wouldn't have a change of sneaking up on me, much less kidnapping me."

Zack realized that Aerith had thought her mother was being serious – Mrs. Fair took Aerith's response as her just playing along though, and laughed, leaving Aerith looking quite bewildered. After Cloud, Tifa, and Zack had grown too cold and numb to continue sledding (Aerith remained warm, thanks to her magic), they had trudged wearily back down to the village and to Zack's house to warm their bones. Tifa had insisted on Cloud coming to her house, but she gave Zack a knowing look, smiling mysteriously, and he knew she was leaving them alone on purpose.

Zack had introduced Aerith to his mother in a rather vague sense – he had left out the part where she was a SOLDIER and a Mage. He wasn't sure how his mother would take the news, after all. With so much left out, it sounded like Aerith had miraculously appeared in Nibelheim, but Zack wasn't in any hurry to elaborate.

His mother wasn't stupid, he knew, and she seemed to realize there was something he wasn't telling her, but she didn't elaborate. Perhaps she had just learned over the years to accept his secretiveness for what it was. Instead, she focused happily on the fact that there was another girl his own age in town, and was already actively trying to encourage a relationship between them.

Zack wasn't sure if Aerith could see the subtle manipulations his mother was making. She claimed to know little of civilian life, but he had no idea just what sort of things happened in Shinra. If she really was trained in espionage, maybe she was able to see through his mother as easily as if she were an open book. Aerith had the strange combination of an experienced young woman, coupled with complete innocence and naivety. Zack, however, knew exactly what his mother was playing at. She had slyly seated them next to each other at the table, and had placed the seasons on his side of the table. Thus, when Aerith asked for him to pass the salt, their fingers had brushed ever so briefly. His fingers were still haunted with the sensation of her skin caressing his.

His initial resistance to her was fast crumbling. He felt more alive with her around than he had in years – ever since his accident. He couldn't rightly say what it was. He just knew that every one of his senses had become sharply attuned to her; he felt almost borderline obsessive, and he was doing all he could to hide it. She and his mother were talking easily, but he was focused on the shape her mouth took with each word, his ears picking up on the pleasant rise and fall of her voice as her tongue wove a spell he was reluctant to break.

And the voice in his head – well, he had rarely ever heard it so clearly, nor remembered it being quite so vocal. It continuously urged him to her, and it took every fiber in his being to deny the voice. He wasn't sure how much longer he would last. All his reasons for avoiding her were drying up as rapidly as a puddle in the desert. He sighed internally as she turned to him, his eyes locked on her mouth, unaware for a moment that she was talking to him.

"Aren't you going to answer your mother?" she asked him, one side of her mouth lifting upward.

"What?" he asked, blinking and shaking his head to clear his thoughts. Her face broke out into another one of her charming smiles, and she giggled softly.

"She asked if you wanted more soup," she told him, gesturing to his empty bowl.

"Oh. No thanks, Mom. I'm good." His mother gave him a look, rather similar to the one Tifa had given him earlier. Confusion brewed in his gut, and he frowned to himself. He needed time – _away _from Aerith, who was far too distracting – to sort his feelings out.

"Shall I walk you back to the Inn?" Zack said suddenly, and Aerith regarded him silently for a long moment, then nodded in agreement.

"Yes – thank you."

"I'll be back in a few, Mom," he said, rising from the table, his chair scraping against the hard floor. He pulled his jacket on to shield himself from the chill outside. Aerith looked ready for a summer day though, dressed once again in her white dress, smiling oddly at him.

"What?" he asked, ignoring the fluttering in his stomach.

"Nothing," she said lightly, stepping out as he held the door open for her. The chill of night swept into the house and he quickly closed the door behind him, crossing his arms.

"Damn it gets cold at night," he mumbled, for lack of anything better to say.

"I could warm you up," she offered, and his mind produced a wave of images at her words, inferring far more than she'd actually implied, causing heat to surge through him.

"Er, that's okay," he said, quelling his traitorous mind. _She meant with magic, Zack! _He scolded himself.

_**That**__ wouldn't be magical?_ The other voice in his head asked, and he shushed it.

"What was that?" Aerith asked, and he realized he'd just shushed himself out loud.

"Nothing," he said quickly, cheeks burning. He was grateful that the walk to the Inn was a short one.

"Well," she said, turning to face him, her dress swaying at her legs, her hands clasped together in front of her. "I had a nice time today," she said, gazing at him imploringly.

More images flooded his mind; him, cupping her face, kissing her; taking her upstairs, pulling the straps of her dress down her smooth shoulders, feeling how warm she really was underneath that dress...

_What is wrong with me?_

"Me too," He answered roughly, clearing his throat. "I'm uh...glad you enjoyed sledding. I didn't know if you'd really like it...being used to more, er, adventure, I suppose."  
"It was perfect," she assured him. "I never get down time like that, usually. Even when I'm supposed to be on vacation," she added wryly, her nose wrinkling up in the cutest way. She swayed to the side slightly, as though waiting for something. He felt ridiculously jealous of her dress suddenly, the way it brushed lightly against her legs, the way it hugged her curves...

_Mom put something in my soup. _He decided suddenly, then thrust his hand forward jerkily. She looked surprised by his sudden, sharp movement, and he laughed nervously.

"Well, goodnight," he blustered. She took his hand, and Zack was glad his knees had enough strength to keep him standing, because the rest of his legs appeared to be turning to something more gelatinous. His hand tingled in hers, her grip firm, but distinctly feminine. He glanced down at their interlocked hands and was surprised to see small green sparks dancing along their skin.

"What-?" he started to ask, and she pulled her hand away, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry. My – er...my magic's never done that before," she told him, looking at her own hand like it was something foreign.

"That was magic?" he asked, feeling lightheaded and giddy.

"Yes – healing magic, to be precise," she said, her voice low, and she glanced sharply at him, her gaze narrowing. "I usually have to command the magic though – it usually doesn't start doing things of its own accord."

"I see," he said, though he had no idea what she was talking about. All that mattered to him was the extremely pleasant feeling coursing through him. He smiled lazily at her.

"It feels good," he said, his voice heavy.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized again, her suspicious look disappearing. "My magic tends to be a little...well, sometimes people can get a bit loopy from it."

"It's great," Zack said, laughing. His head was buzzing quite nicely.

"Perhaps I should take _you_ back home," she told him, taking his arm gently. Once again, little sparks of green magic jumped from her skin and crawled along his. He watched it in awe, then laughed again.

"Wow," he said slowly, not aware of how dull-witted he sounded at the moment. "It's like...magic," he snorted, bursting into renewed laughter. Aerith looked torn between amusement and worry.

"I've never had anyone react this way before. You're getting quite delirious."

"It's only 'cause you're so lovely," he said, his tongue and lips having difficulty forming the words. He felt rather sleepy, now, too. Somewhere in the back of his mind, warning bells were going off, telling him not to say quite so much, but it was too late now.

"Yes...you're quite gone now," Aerith said firmly, her cheeks tinged with pink. "Go home, Zack. You'll be all better in the morning."

"I'm all better now," he protested, reaching out to touch her hair. It was soft, he noted. It had smelled quite wonderful, he remembered, when he had sat closely behind her on the sled. All his inhibitions had disappeared as the magic in his system elevated him to a high.

"Handsy, too," she replied, and he grinned when she laughed. He blinked slowly, breathing deeply.

"Magic feels good. Wonderful."

"Zack?" another voice called out, and Aerith looked relieved.

"Oh, Cloud!" she called him over.

"CLOUD!" Zack shouted, grinning. Cloud paused warily, shooting him a questioning look, so Zack sauntered over to his best friend and grabbed his face, staring at him with wide, serious eyes. "Cloud. Magic is..._magic!_" he said, then snorted again, losing all control of the serious demeanor he'd had.

"What's wrong with him?" Zack heard Cloud ask Aerith.

"I'm afraid that's my fault. He got a little shot of my magic and he's gone a little...loopy."

"I can see that."

"Could you take him home?" she asked, and Zack looked up sharply, a protest on his lips. "He'll wake up normal in the morning, I promise," she said sheepishly.

"No, no, I'm good. I was just walking Aerith to the Inn," he said, his words slightly slurred.

"Zack, she is at the Inn," Cloud said, grabbing his friend's arm. "See?"

"Yeah. I know," Zack said petulantly. "We were just saying goodnight. Isn't that right, Aerith?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Of course," she said, a hint of a smile on her face again. She drew closer and stood on her tiptoes briefly, kissing his cheek. There was no spark of magic this time, but Zack still felt as though there had been.

"Goodnight, Zack."

"Don't let the bed bugs bite," he responded, laughing giddily again.

"Zack, you've lost it," Cloud said, then gently led him back home.

* * *

Aerith thought perhaps she had been a bit bold in kissing Zack on the cheek – her lips could still feel the slight stubble from his cheek - but she also knew it was likely he wouldn't remember it in the morning. Her magic also had a tendency to cause brief amnesia, and in a case like Zack's, she knew it would be true. She had been honest when she'd told him that no one else had ever had quite that reaction, but it was amusing to see nonetheless. He had relaxed almost immediately, and become quite silly.

But now she couldn't sleep, wondering _what_ had caused her magic to do that. Before her training at Shinra, it hadn't been uncommon for her to lost control of her magic, but after many years, she had gained mastery over it. This was the first time in many years that her magic had done anything without first being willed to. More curious was the type of magic. Healing magic. Cure.

At first, she wondered if he had somehow injured himself while sledding on the mountain. They had fallen off the sled enough times, and it was highly possible that he'd nicked himself on a sharp rock somewhere. When she'd touched him again, though, more magic had flowed into him. Was Zack sick somehow? He looked perfectly healthy, after all...

Except for when he'd been on the mountain with her, right after he'd saved her. He'd looked close to death, then, until he'd taken a quick dip in the mako pool. Could the mako be making him sick? Or was it what was keeping him alive? It seemed likely that the latter was true, since he'd come out looking better again. The bigger question was why he had to bathe in mako, and if he really was sick, how did it come about? And why was her magic acting of its own volition to cure him?

Aerith stared at the ceiling, wrapped up in her thoughts, until finally the sound of the wind outside lulled her into a dreamless sleep. When she woke, she resolved to her find the answers to her questions, even if she had to put aside her investigation of Mt. Nibel.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the wait. I've been addicted to Dragon Age as of late, and I'm also quite taken with the character of Leliana (she's too cute for her own good!) so I've been playing the game non-stop. But I hope the length of this chapter makes up for it a little. (; Please review, people! Thanks :D**


	7. Sunrise

**Chapter 6 - Sunrise**

**

* * *

**

"I can't believe you didn't call me!" Cissnei's accusing voice came shrilly through her cell phone, making her wince slightly, both with guilt and pain.

"I'm sorry," she said feebly. Somehow, in all the excitement, she'd forgotten to call her friend.

"So, who is he?" Cissnei asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"What are you talking about?" Aerith blurted quickly, and she bit back a groan. She was sure her friend could practically _hear_ her blushing over the phone.

"Why else would you stay up on a lonely little mountain by yourself? He's got to be cute. Is he cute? What's his name?" She shot off at rapid pace, and Aerith smiled. She didn't regret staying at Nibelheim, but she certainly missed her best friend.

"I don't really know if anything will happen..." she began slowly, biting her lip. "He doesn't like Shinra very much."  
"You completely avoided all of my questions. Answer me!"

Aerith laughed quietly. "His name is Zack. And yes, he's very handsome."

"I knew it," Cissnei said smugly. Aerith could just picture the look of triumph on her face. "I wouldn't worry. Just turn up the good old Aerith charm. He'll be chasing after you within seconds."

"That's just it," Aerith sighed in frustration, flopping back on her bed. "He's either the most oblivious boy in the world or he's avoiding me. Sometimes...hmm. I don't know. Sometimes I'm sure he feels the same way...I'm not even sure if I can explain it to you," she admitted, flushing. It seemed so very personal to describe it, even to her best friend. "But other times, he's a complete enigma. It's like he's pulling away."

"Well, maybe it has something to do with the fact that you're Shinra. You said he didn't like us, didn't you?"

"Yes. He won't tell me why, of course, but maybe it's not any of my business. Something curious happened the other night, though..." she began, telling her friend about how her magic had reacted.

"That is unusual," her friend agreed when she finished telling her story.

"I wonder if he's sick..."

"That's possible," Cissnei agreed, her voice speculative over the phone. Aerith hadn't told her friend about Zack's trip into the mako pool, though. Even though she told Cissnei everything, that particular piece of information wasn't hers to tell. Besides, she could hardly gain his trust by blabbing his secrets to everyone, could she?

"...So, when do I get to meet him?" Cissnei asked slyly, and Aerith knew her friend was distracting her on purpose, but let out a hearty laugh anyway.

"When you convince Tseng to let you fly up here and shirk your duties."

"Ah. Perhaps you should convince him," she suggested. "You always get away with everything with Tseng."

"I do not," she protested, tugging at her curls.

"Ha. You do so. All you have to do is flash those big eyes and he crumbles."

"Well, I won't be able to use my big eyes over the phone," she pointed out.

"I'm sure he'll be able to hear it if you put enough effort behind it," Cissnei chuckled.

Aerith bit her lip, considering Cissnei's proposal. She wouldn't mind having her friend with her, especially since she felt so outnumbered with Cloud, Tifa, and Zack. They were nice enough to her, of course, but it was easy to see that they were all simply at ease with one another, and she was the outsider.

"I'll call him. I won't make any promises, though," she finally said.

Cissnei laughed. "I'll see you soon, then." She hung up without another word, and Aerith grinned wryly, snapping her phone closed. A knock at her door jerked her from her reverie. It was still early in the morning – still dark, in fact. Who would be knocking on her door?

"Aerith?"

It was Zack, she realized as her heart gave a jolt. She forced herself to walk calmly to the door and open it, trying not to let her face belie her surprise.

"Morning," he said with half a grin, looking half asleep still.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. The only reason she was awake was because Cissnei had called her – she wondered what on gaia would compel him to get up, too.

"Here," he said, shoving a steaming thermos into her hand.

"I don't drink coffee," she began, and he shook his head.

"Hot chocolate. Come on," he beckoned, then grabbed her hand and led her out of the room and down the stairs of the Inn.

"What are we doing?" she asked in a hushed voice. It was certainly odd behavior, even for Zack. Not that she could claim to knowing everything about him.

"Sunrise," he replied simply, and she looked at him incredulously.

"At this time of morning?"

"Well, that's usually when it happens," he chuckled and she flushed.

"I know _that_. What I meant is...well, why are you taking me to see the sunrise?"

"Because it's beautiful. It was one of the first things I loved out Nibelheim. Even though I was homesick, I found peace in the sunrise."

"And why are you showing me?" she asked him, curious.

"You seem like you'd like it," he answered.

"How did you know I'd be up?" she interrogated him.

He turned his head sideways to look at her, the crooked grin still on his sleepy features. "I saw your light on, silly."

"Now you're peeking through my window?" she teased, stifling a yawn.

"Oh, definitely," he said dryly, yawning as well. "Stop making me yawn," he demanded. She murmured an apology, laughing lightly. The morning air was brisk and smelled sharply of cold and snow, and it was still so dark she wouldn't have been able to see if it weren't for her enhanced vision, thanks to mako.

"How can you see anything?" she asked him, forgetting about his own glowing eyes momentarily.

"Hmm. I guess the same way you can," he replied vaguely, still holding onto her hand. "Up the tower, then," he said, stopping in front of the water tower. "I'll hold your drink."

She handed him the thermos and began to climb up the water tower, gripping the cold wood and pulling herself upward. She was aware that her dress was swaying in the small breeze, and that Zack was beneath her, quite capable of looking up.

"Don't look up my dress," she warned him. She heard him laugh heartily.

"I wasn't going to. It hadn't crossed my mind until you brought it up."

_Damn._ She flushed in the cool air and urged herself higher. When she finally reached the top, she heard Zack call up.

"Can I come up now without fear of seeing any of your undergarments?"

"Yes," she replied peevishly, folding her dress underneath her legs. "Had I known we were going to be climbing a water tower, I would have dressed more sensibly."

"Where would the surprise been in that?" he shot back, and she heard him climbing up the tower after her. In moments, he was seated next to her, their shoulders barely brushing. "Here's your drink back," he handed her the thermos again, and she took it, enjoying the warmth it provided for her hands.

"So, you said you were homesick when you saw your first Nibelheim sunrise. Where did you live before?" she asked him conversationally.

"Gongaga."

"Really?" she smiled. She'd heard of Gongaga; it was another small town, barely a village at that, and of hardly any consequence to Shinra. "Didn't a reactor blow up there some years ago?"

"Yes," he replied tersely, and she felt him stiffen next to her. _Strange._

"What about you?" he questioned, changing the subject. "Have you lived anywhere else besides Midgar?"

"Not that I can remember..." she admitted. "I came to Midgar when I was much younger..." she frowned, straining to remember. "I came with my mother...she...died...she was quite ill when we were heading to Midgar...I don't remember where we came from, though..." Aerith put a hand up to her forehead, rubbing it thoughtfully as she tried to recall her past.

"I'm sorry," Zack said gently. "My father died when I was young, too. Thirteen, actually...he was sick, too." He paused, taking a sip from his thermos. She could just see the steam swirling from its contents in the darkness.

"Do you miss him?"

"Yes...I had a hard time accepting it...when I found out," he told her, his voice hesitant. She could tell he wasn't telling her something, but it wasn't her place to pry. "I had resented his illness when he was alive," Zack continued, staring bitterly out into the sky. "I..." he paused, chuckling darkly. "When I was thirteen, all I wanted was to leave Gongaga and join SOLDIER. But my father was sick, and I had to stay home to help. I hated it."

"What changed?" she asked, startled at this new revelation. Zack had actually wanted to join SOLDIER? What had happened to make him hate it so, she wondered?

"A lot," he said gruffly, and it was clear he wasn't willing to elaborate anymore. His bright eyes were narrowed, and there was a hint of a frown marring his usually cheerful expression.

She lifted the thermos to her lips, carefully sipping at the hot chocolate, savoring the flavor and warmth.

"This is good," she murmured.

"Thanks."

More silence. Then: "So how did someone like you end up at Shinra?"

"What is meant by someone like me?" she asked, amused.

He shrugged, clothes rustling. "You know...you just don't look the part."

"Ah, that is one of my greatest advantages, though. People never expect anything even slightly devious from me, and they would never _ever_ guess I belonged to Shinra. It makes me job easier for others to underestimate me."

He was looking at her now, his features becoming clearer as the sky began to slowly brighten. His eyes were squinted, a calculating look on his face. She wondered if she'd just given him more reason to distrust her.

"So how did you wind up there?"

"Tseng brought me to Shinra when I was young. After my mother died, in fact. They became my new family."

"Ah, so training you in stealth and murder was just a hobby?" he snorted, and she frowned. At her silence, he had the presence to look ashamed. "Sorry...so...what do you remember about your mother?"

"Not a lot. I remember feelings more than memories," she began, her hand shifting to the small pouch she always kept with her. "I only have this to remember her by." Aerith pulled out the small ball of white materia from the brown pouch, holding it delicately. "I wish I could remember why she'd given it to me."

Zack was staring at the white materia with wide eyes, a strange expression on his face. He reached out to it hesitantly, and something like recognition sparked in his eyes.

"Can I...?" he asked, and she handed it to him. The small ball lit up as his fingers made contact with it, and it swirled with energy.

"How did you do that?" she asked in wonder.

"Holy..." he murmured, apparently not hearing her. Aerith's mind flashed, and suddenly she was back on the train with her mother, holding the materia in her small hands.

_"This...its materia. Magic. Its called Holy."_

What else had her mother said? That she should listen to the voice...and it would tell her how to work the materia. In all her years as a Mage, she had never been able to figure out what to do with the white materia she'd kept. Thinking about it now, she realized she had not heard any 'voice'...not since she was a little girl. Where had that voice gone? Who's voice was it?

Zack sighed lightly, handing back the materia. "I see," he whispered.

"What do you see?" she asked, staring avidly at the boy who'd somehow gotten her materia to work.

"It is not for me to use," he said simply, placing the materia firmly in her open palm and closing her fingers around it. "One day, you'll understand."

"How do you know...?"

"Oh, those silly voices in my head," he grinned, and her heart jumped. Was he joking or was he serious? This wasn't the first time he'd mentioned voices...

"Look, the sun's coming up."

Aerith looked out to the horizon, forgetting about her questions as she sat amicably with Zack, admiring the first rays of light, chasing away the inky black and dull grays of the night.

* * *

Aerith had been wholly captivated by the sunrise, but Zack had been distracted, more so than usual when he was around the beautiful Mage. She had pulled out that materia, and the voice in his head had cried out in euphoria. He'd held it in his hand, felt it warm beneath his fingers, the magic thrumming inside it, and realized all the power the small orb held – but he also knew that he could not use it. It was meant for Aerith, even if she didn't realize it. Somehow, he began to realize that he was supposed to help her get there.

The idea that he'd been chosen by fate, or destiny, or what have you, to be linked to Aerith by more than just lust and young love was somewhat disconcerting. Like the world had a motive, and he was just a pawn in its game. He wanted to rebel, to resist with all his might. It was a silly notion though – he could hardly imagine a day without seeing Aerith, however brief her stay had been. Somewhere along the way, he'd tripped and fallen for her. Maybe it was the first time he'd seen her. He didn't know. And still, he couldn't trust her. He worried it was a trap, a way to lull him into a false sense of security. He scoffed at himself, too. The idea was ridiculous. Aerith, despite all her worldliness, was as innocent as a lamb.

But now he also wondered if his feelings were the result of something else, pushing him along. Like the voice in his head. What if he _was_ just being used until destiny fulfilled its purpose?

His head hurt just thinking about it.

"Thank you for bringing me up here," Aerith said, jerking him from his thoughts.

"Hey, no problem. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Do you take all the girls up here?" she teased him, a smile on her lips.

"Ha. No – didn't I tell you, you're the first girl to show up in Nibelheim since...well, ever. Tifa's the only other girl who lives here."

"I find that hard to believe," she said, a brow arched in his direction.

"It's the truth," he insisted. "Not that this spot isn't considered special. For most of the town, it's a well known kissing spot," He grinned, watching as she flushed an interesting shade of red.

"Is that why you brought me up here?"

"Not at all," he said, then he dropped down from the tower, landing with an 'oomph', then springing back up. "That would just be cheesy, wouldn't it? Kissing on a water tower at sunrise. Besides, who said I wanted to kiss you?" he asked, staring up at her. Her cheeks darkened more and she shook her head.

"Come on, jump," he said, feeling bad for teasing her. "I'll catch you."

She gathered her dress in her hands and held it firmly down as she jumped – but she jumped away from him and landed almost delicately. Zack was aware that he was gaping at her when she looked up, laughing.

"I'm SOLDIER, remember? Think I can't handle a little jump?"

"Right..."

"Well, I have a call to make, Zack. Thank you for the hot chocolate," she said, pressing the mug back into his hands. Her right foot shifted, her leg between his, and she leaned up, drawing closer. Zack felt like his heart had stopped, and he stared at her, wide eyed.

"Maybe I would have liked a kiss," she said softly, and her lips brushed up against his cheek before she pulled away. There was a hint of mischievousness and shyness in her face as she stepped back, but then she did a little wave with her fingers and twirled away, her dress swaying behind her as she slipped back into the Inn.

Zack held his hand to his cheek, the haunting tingle and warmth reminding him of what had just happened.

"Damn."

* * *

**A/N: Just a short chapter. I know I haven't updated my other stories lately. I'm trying to finish this one, and then focus on another one. It's getting crazy trying to update a bunch of different stories at once, and it's hard to remember what's happening where! So I apologize for the temporary hiatus on my other stories. Meanwhile, I'm going to go obsess over Dragon Age some more.  
**


	8. Secrets

**Chapter 7 – Secrets**

**

* * *

**

"Excuse me, could you tell me where the Inn is?"

Zack turned on his heel to the strange voice, eyebrows raised. A girl with bright red hair was looking up at him questionably, twirling a lock of her hair on her finger.

"Er," he started slowly, realizing he sounded like a complete idiot.

"Right there," Tifa pointed helpfully, but the girl was still grinning at Zack.

"_You_ must be Zack," she said finally, chuckling.

"How do you know who I am?" he asked, his body tensing as he went on defense.

"A little bird told me," the girl told him, her smirk widening. "I could tell by how handsome you are."

Zack flushed, taking a step back from the girl. "Who are you?" he demanded, frowning.

"Yeah, is it just me or are girls just appearing in our little town?" Cloud asked dryly.

"Cissnei, stop giving him a hard time." Aerith's light voice floated over to them from the entrance of the Inn. She was grinning, shaking her head. The other girl lost her sly look and smiled broadly.

"Aerith!" With that, the red head bolted over to Aerith and threw her arms around her. Zack watched with a bemused expression as the two girls partook in some strange dancing and hugging ritual.

"What in the world?" Zack wondered aloud. Even Tifa looked confused – then again, she had grown up with boys, and had never had another female friend.

When the two girls had finally stopped squirming around, Aerith led her friend back over, her smile wide.

"Zack, this is my friend Cissnei."

"Oh," he said, comprehension dawning on him. "From...home."

"Sorry for earlier, Zack," Cissnei said, holding out her hand. "I couldn't resist."

"Hm," he grumbled, reluctantly taking her hand and shaking it. "Why is it that all the newcomers are picking on _me_?" Zack asked.

"Payback," Cloud shot back, smirking.

"Ah, some sort of karmic fate, I see," Zack joked, grabbing his friend's head and giving him a noogie.

"Ow! Zack! Stop it!" Cloud spluttered, struggling to escape. "Tifa!"

"Hm?" Tifa hummed in response, amusement on her face. "You want me to help?"

"Yes!" Cloud wheezed, his face turning red. So Tifa, smiling slyly, slid over to him...and began to tickle his sides relentlessly. Cloud gasped for breath, laughing hysterically, dropping to the ground as Zack released him. Tifa pulled her fingers away, chortling, and Cloud ceased laughing immediately, his chest heaving.

"I wanted you to help ME, not him!" he said indignantly.

"My mistake," Tifa replied loftily, still smiling. Cloud scowled at her for a moment, but she kissed him soundly, and his sour expression disappeared.

"Aerith, you're quite right. Civilians are strange," Cissnei piped up, and Zack shot the girl a look.

"Aerith failed to tell us that you...Turks...were so rude," Zack stated.

"Merely pointing out the obvious," Cissnei shrugged, her facing slipping into a mask of cool indifference. Aerith was shooting a worried glance between Zack and Cissnei, biting her lip.

Zack knew he was being unreasonable, but the appearance of yet another Shinra employee had set his walls back up, and he wanted to push both girls away. Suddenly, the odds were slightly evened. He had Cloud and Tifa, yes, but now Aerith had Cissnei. And Aerith and Cissnei were two completely capable people. It made him nervous. What would happen if they found out _he_ was the reason for the mess up at the reactor?

"Obvious or not, it's still rude," Zack sniped, and Cloud laid a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off, bristling.

"You didn't mention he was so touchy, either, Aerith," Cissnei said, still coolly appraising Zack. He grit his teeth, shaking his head slightly.

"Why is she here again?" he asked Aerith, the shortness in his voice making her flinch.

"To keep me company," she said, gripping her friend's arm.

"Brilliant," Zack muttered, his jaw clenching as he bit back his sudden flare of annoyance. He opened his mouth to say something, but the only things he could think to say sounded extremely petulant and childish, even to him, and so he clamped his mouth shut and turned away without a word, waving jerkily back at them.

"I'll go after him," Zack heard Cloud's muffled response, and then the nearing footsteps of his best friend.

"What's up?" Cloud asked casually, falling into step with Zack.

"Now something's up?" Zack asked evasively.

"You don't usually just storm away, you know. Is it the new girl?"

"Another pawn of Shinra," Zack murmured, sighing.

"Zack, you know, not everyone from Shinra is a bad guy," Cloud ventured slowly. "I mean, look at Aerith."

"I know," Zack said, his voice rising, then he sighed again. "I know. But it still makes me...so angry," he admitted softly, turning to his friend beseechingly. "I want to trust them. I just don't know if I can...do this."

"What?" Cloud asked, tilting his head to the side. "Let Aerith in?" Zack met his friend's unwavering gaze with his own, then shook his head. "Come on, Zack. I'm your best friend. I'm not stupid. You like her."

"I don't know," Zack began hesitantly. Cloud didn't know about the voice in his head, though. He couldn't explain his worries.

"Zack." Cloud stopped, planting himself firmly in his way. "Don't deny yourself happiness just because she's from Shinra. She's good for you. You haven't even been up to the mountain as often as usual...you look...healthier."

Zack grinned wryly, running his fingers through his hair. "It must be magic," he joked, referring to the night he'd gotten loopy from Aerith's magic.

Cloud chuckled, clearly remembering that night as well. "She's been here...what, almost a month already? She hasn't tried to kill us in our sleep. She hasn't done anything but be completely nice...don't push her away anymore, Zack," Cloud pleaded. "I want to see you happy. Tifa does, too."

Zack considered his blonde friend, folding his arms across his chest, biting the inside of his cheek. Sometimes, Cloud could be really wise. Sometimes, he had just the outside perspective Zack needed to get his thoughts in order. He decided there, looking at his friend's serious demeanor, that he'd let the walls down, doubts be damned. He nodded firmly, pumping his fist in the air.

"Right. You're right, Cloud. I can't run away from this. I'll do it."

"Hm, so you do listen sometimes," Cloud grinned, his serious face dropping away. "I'm glad at least some sense can get into that head of yours."

"Your hilarity continues to astound me," Zack replied dryly, rolling his eyes. He glanced over his shoulder back at Tifa, who was gazing at them with concern in her eyes. He nodded shortly, and she smiled at him, looking relieved. Behind her, Aerith and Cissnei were close together, clearly having a whispered conversation.

Zack spun around and headed back over to the small group determinedly, clearing his throat as he reached the whispering pair. Cissnei looked up sharply, raising an expectant brow.

"I'm sorry," Zack said, thrusting his hand forward. Time to swallow his pride. "Let me start over. I'm Zack – and you must be Cissnei, Aerith's friend. Any friend of Aerith's is a friend of mine...so welcome to Nibelheim."

Cissnei stared at him for a long moment, and he kept eye contact, feeling certain he was undergoing some sort of test. Then she took his hand and smiled.

"Nice to meet you Zack." He chanced a look at Aerith, and was pleased to see her smiling.

"Now that you're on board, I know what we're doing today," Zack announced, releasing Cissnei's hand.

"What's that?" Aerith asked, making eye contact with him. His stomach flipped, and he allowed a smile to form.

"You know about the mansion?"

* * *

"Who broke the gate lock?" Aerith asked as the strange group approached the dreary looking mansion.

"Must've rusted off," Zack replied offhandedly, not meeting her gaze. She stared at him shrewdly, pursing her lips.

"More like someone pulled it off," Cissnei replied, turning the lock over in her hand. "You do know civilians aren't supposed to go in here, don't you?" she asked Zack, dropping the lock to the ground. It landed with a dull thud on the frozen ground.

Zack shrugged, rubbing his hands together. "Can you blame us? You have seen the town, haven't you?"

Cissnei mimicked his gesture, turning her attention to the building in front of them.

"They really let this place go, didn't they?" Aerith commented, an anxious feeling in her stomach. It was irrational to be scared of a building, but all the same, it gave off a foreboding aura.

"No one from Shinra has been to Nibelheim since you," Cloud replied in explanation, and Tifa shivered, shifting closer to him.

"Let's not freeze our fingers off out here," Zack interrupted, rubbing his arms. He hurried forward, Tifa and Cloud in tow, and Aerith watched them, wondering how she'd been convinced to go along with their crazy plan. Her own curiosity played a big part in it, she knew. But the other part if it lay strictly with the look Zack had given her, pleading and earnest, shining with excitement.

"There could be monsters inside," Cissnei said under her breath to Aerith, her eyes narrowed at the building.

Aerith nodded in response, tapping her chin. "Take point, I'll bring up the rear," she said, falling easily into a commanding mode. Cissnei tilted her head just so to indicate she understood, and reached to her side for her gun.

"I see you planned on trouble," Aerith noted with a grin. "No shuriken?"

"You can never be too careful; and shurikens aren't as easy to hide," Cissnei shrugged, quirking her eyebrow up, then darting forward, gaining on the trio and passing them. Zack shot Aerith a quizzical look, jerking his head in Cissnei's direction.

"What's up?" he asked Aerith, pausing as she came up behind him.

"Just being safe," she assured him, wishing she had her staff in hand. She'd left it behind at the Inn, completely ignoring the possibility of monsters. Her time in Nibelheim had made her careless, and she scolded herself for it. A newbie mistake. She could do magic without her staff, of course, but there was something comforting about the cool metal in her palm that reassured her. Cissnei was up ahead, gun held down, eyes darting around, on full alert.

"You two don't do things half way, do you?" Zack asked, and Aerith shook her head. Cissnei held up a closed fist to stop them – Aerith stopped, but naturally, Zack, Tifa, and Cloud weren't familiar with military terms, and so they kept walking.

"Stop," Aerith said lowly, and they paused, questioning looks on their faces. "Cissnei's checking the area." Zack shrugged to Cloud and Tifa as unspoken words passed between them. Aerith focused on Cissnei instead, watching as she opened the door carefully, peering into the musty building. She dropped her hand and waved them forward, giving them the okay.

"Let's go," Aerith said briskly, herding the confused group into the mansion.

"Was that necessary?" Zack asked, sounding exasperated. "If you haven't figured it out, we _have _been here before. Did you expect -" Zack was cut off and let out a strangled yelp as Cissnei forced him down and loosed three rounds into the monster behind him.

"Dorky Face," she said calmly, her gun still smoking.

"What the hell!" Zack shouted, glaring at Cissnei. "You could have given a guy some warning!"

"I just saved your life," Cissnei responded.

"You think I can't handle a few monsters?" he asked, looking disgruntled. "And you couldn't come up with a better name for those flying pumpkins than 'Dorky Face'?"

Aerith laughed in spite of the situation. "Don't ask us. We didn't name them," she told him, her eyes scanning the dusty room. There didn't appear to be anymore monsters around, but she knew the Dorky Faces had a tendency to hide and appear randomly.

"Be on alert," she said to Cissnei, though she knew it was unnecessary. Cissnei knew as well as she did the capabilities of Dorky Faces.

"Those weren't here last time," Zack said to Tifa and Cloud.

"Though it does appear dustier," Cloud observed, drawing his foot across the dirty floor.

"All these doors are locked," Tifa told Aerith, gesturing to the doors on the main floor.

"But, there's a room upstairs that is...interesting," Zack said, looking up the stairs.

"Zack's convinced there's a secret passageway," Tifa said, shaking her head. "I think this old mansion is just an old mansion."

"Hardly," Zack scoffed. "If Shinra's involved, you know there has to be more than meets the eye," he said.

"Zack's probably right," Aerith admitted. "Shinra has many secrets, some I'm not even aware of, undoubtedly." Aerith motioned with her fingers and Cissnei headed up the stairs.

"To the right," Zack told her, hurrying after her, clearly eager to get in on some action as well. They entered the small room, and Zack strode purposefully to the wall, running his hand along it. "This is it."

"It certainly looks suspicious," Aerith agreed, placing her hand on it as well. Whether it had something to do with her touch, or perhaps it was just the fact that she touched the right spot, but the stone wall rumbled under their hands and they stepped back as it slid away to reveal a staircase.

Zack stared at the new entrance for a moment, stunned. Then he turned to Cloud and Tifa, pumping his fist triumphantly. "I told you guys!"

Cloud grinned with excitement. "Well, what are we waiting for?" he asked, and before Aerith could stop them, Zack and Cloud went hurrying down the stairs to the secret basement.

"Boys," Tifa said with a huff, rolling her eyes, though she was smiling faintly.

"They're always like this?" Aerith asked. She was used to some rowdiness – working with several hundred men, it was inevitable that she would see some horseplay. She wasn't used to recklessly charging into unknown basements, though – she was trained to always proceed with caution.

"They're going to get themselves killed," Cissnei sighed and hurried down after them to make sure they didn't get themselves into a sticky situation.

"Yes," Tifa answered as Cissnei sped into the darkness after the boys. "That's why I'm around – to knock some common sense into them," she added with a wry smirk. With that note, she followed Cissnei down, and Aerith stood at the top of the stairs, wondering what she had gotten herself into. Curiosity won out again, though, and she plunged into the musty stairwell.

* * *

The basement smelled strongly of decay and mold, and the temperature dropped noticeably as they descended further. Zack slowed his frantic pace, caution taking over his excitement. Behind him, Cloud did the same.

"Does Shinra have to be so creepy?" Zack asked in a hushed voice – for some reason, the atmosphere of the dirty underground made him feel the need to whisper.

"Probably to keep intruders out," Aerith piped up behind him, speaking normally and startling him so that he jumped. He tried quickly to cover his jumpiness by leaping again, as though he were jumping over something on the ground.

"Floor's a bit uneven," he mumbled, and he saw Aerith's face twitching in an effort to keep from laughing. The others were less kind and were sniggering to themselves noticeably.

"Try not to run ahead this time, will you?" Cissnei asked in exasperation. This place definitely has the look of monsters," she said, indicating to the gouged dirt floor.

"I can take care of myself you know," Zack started heatedly, but Aerith placed a hand on his arm, and he faltered.

"Please?" she asked him quietly, and he felt all defensiveness slide away.

"Okay," he said contritely, lowering his gaze. Her concern for him made his insides churn, even while the logical part of him reasoned she was trained to fight and protect civilians – it was her duty. She was doing nothing more than her job – except that look in her wide eyes convinced him otherwise.

Cissnei was up ahead, presumably scouting the area, and Cloud and Tifa had wandered a distance away, conversing quietly and examining the many doors the basement held. Cloud jiggled one of the handles and frowned.

"Locked," he called over to Zack and Aerith, kicking the door.

"They're probably all the same, but it won't hurt to check," Cissnei said.

"Stay together," Aerith said, shooting down Zack's plan to split up before he even said it. And so they walked in a group – probably the strangest group Zack had ever seen – trying each door. Never had he imagined that Nibelheim could _really_ be holding such dark secrets – for he was positive that anything in the mansion's creepy basement had to be dark – or that he would be aided in the exploration of such a place by two Shinra employees. Both of whom happened to be beautiful, ass-kicking women.

"Oh!" Tifa let out a gasp of surprise as one of the doors opened, jerking Zack from his thoughts. All the other doors had been locked; a thrill of anticipation and foreboding raced up his spine as they squeezed into the small room, which appeared to be even dustier than the rest of the basement, if that were possible. Cobwebs cluttered the ceiling; Zack watched as Tifa swatted a strand away irritably. In the middle of the room was a dark, wooden coffin, encased in dust and spiderwebs.

"Shh!" Aerith hissed suddenly, and they all froze. Zack strained his ears, because Aerith seemed to be listening for something. At first, all he heard was the own pounding of his heart, the blood rushing through his head, but then he heard it – a rasping, dry sound – like someone breathing. Zack's eyes immediately fell to the coffin, his adrenaline racing.

"Let's open it," he whispered, a feeling of recklessness taking over.

"Zack..." Aerith said lowly, but she didn't stop him as he tiptoed over and lifted the lid to the coffin. He bit back a strangled yell, jerking back but keeping the lid open.

A person was inside, sleeping! He had long dark hair, dressed in strange, blood-red clothes Zack had never seen the likes of, and was deathly pale. If it were not for the slight, but consistent fall and rise of the man's chest, Zack _would_ have thought he were dead. He stared, fascinated, wondering what on Gaia this man was doing, and how long he'd been down in the basement.

The rustle of clothing behind him made him jump again, and he berated himself even as his heart galloped, closing the lid slowly and soundlessly. They backed out of the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.

"What the hell?" Cloud asked, looking a bit pale.

Cissnei and Aerith exchanged dark, confused looks.

"Do you think he's some sort of experiment?" Zack asked the two women, eyes narrowed seriously. "How is he living down here? No one's been in and out of this mansion...well...ever, as far as we know," he said, gesturing to himself, Cloud, and Tifa.

"And who would sleep in a coffin over a bed?" Tifa asked faintly.

"I'd say he's been sleeping there for some time," Cissnei said, her brow furrowed.

"It's probably also safe to say that he's not entirely...human," Aerith said slowly, staring hard at the door. "Its best if we leave that room alone," she said, and the group agreed hastily. "In fact, maybe we should leave..."

"What?" Zack exclaimed quietly, then shook his head. "There's still more to explore," he said, pointing further ahead, to a single door they hadn't gone to. "We can't leave yet."

Without waiting for a response, he turned away from the group and headed resolutely to the door, only to have some _thing_ drop on him and knock him to the floor. He gave a grunt of surprise as the wind was knocked out of him.

"Zack!" Tifa and Cloud cried, and he gave a hiss as sharp claws of some sort tore into his back. He could feel hot rank breath at his head, and he wondered if this was the end – if he was about to become some monster snack. Blood trickled out of his wound, the warmth sliding over his skin and soaking into his shirt. Another great rip, but strangely, no pain – he was becoming numb, and drowsy, his head drooping. His last thought was that he hoped his friends got away okay.

* * *

The appearance of the monster was startling, and for a long, terrifying moment, everyone stood still, watching as the monster assaulted Zack. Cloud and Tifa cried out, breaking the paralyzing spell that had been cast over them, and Aerith jumped into action. Even without her staff, she was a formidable opponent, as the monster was quick to discover. The strange, lizard-like creature hissed and bared sharp, pointed teeth, breath heavy and rank. Aerith fought down the urge to gag and cast a blizzaga spell to freeze it in its track. The creature turned frosty white for a brief moment, but then shook its scaly skin with an irritated shrug.

_Damn. Magic resistant!_ Aerith cursed to herself. All hope was not lost however. Cissnei had also leaped into action, and there were several, short bursts of noise as Cissnei fired her gun. The creature jerked back with each impact, hissing and shrieking as each bullet found its flesh and tore through ligaments and shattered bones. Still, the creature persisted, a poisonous gas leaking from its mouth, and Aerith knew she had to get the damned thing away from Zack quickly.

She dodged a swipe of the creature's claws, darting nimbly out of the way and with a speed few others could achieve, save perhaps Sephiroth, caught the creature's arm in a vice-like grip and twisted, using its own momentum to flip the beast over onto its back with a resounding thud, dirt puffing up from the floor. Still gripping the arm, she brought her heel down hard on it, and it snapped under the pressure. The lizard-like monster screeched again, it's tail whipping around in an anguished frenzy. Cissnei, now with an open shot, stepped over the beast and shot it squarely in the skull, and its movement's ceased immediately, falling limp to the floor.

All this happened in the matter of seconds, and Tifa and Cloud raced over, skirting around the dead thing and to their fallen friend.

"Zack? Zack!" Cloud called, shaking his friend's shoulder gently, but Zack was as limp and unresponsive as the dead beast to his side. Panic rose up like bile in Aerith's throat, and for a fleeting, horrible moment, she thought he was dead too, that she had failed to keep him safe. She forced her panic down, though, and assessed the situation. The steady rise and fall of his breath indicated that he was still alive, just knocked out – perhaps some sedative in the beasts' claws, or maybe a result of its poisonous breath.

"He's alive," she said thickly, her voice stuck.

"We need to get him out," Cissnei said briskly. "He's bleeding quite badly," she announced, kneeling at his side and gingerly lifting the shreds of his shirt. "Damn monster got him good, it looks like."

Aerith peered over Cissnei's shoulder, wincing at the sight of two bright red wounds, ugly slashes against Zack's back.

"Stand back," Aerith told everyone gently, kneeling down next to Cissnei. She ripped his blood soaked shirt, allowing her to view the wounds without the shirt impeding her. The wounds were beginning to fester with some unknown toxin, but Aerith had seen worse. She reached for her magic, readying herself to cure him when a sudden glow made her hesitate. Her eyes widened in surprise as tendrils of green encased Zack, the glow brightening over his wounds, and she felt the telltale coolness of healing magic rustle past her legs. She watched in astonished fascination as the long scratches on his back began to knit back together, sealing as though the attack had never happened. The swirling green light seemed to caress his skin as it did its work. When it disappeared, Zack's back was healed, with only two faint scars where the wounds had been.

"He...healed himself," Aerith murmured, shocked. She had never seen anyone use magic without materia – with the exception of herself. He had not awoken, though, and he looked quite pale. However miraculous the unexpected magic was, it did not replenish blood lost, and surely exerted quite a bit of energy from the already weak man.

"We need to get out of here," Tifa said quietly, kneeling down on the opposite side of Zack. "Help me, Cloud," she said, and they began to lift him.

"I could do that-" Aerith began, but Cloud shook his head roughly.

"We've got him," he said, his voice sharp, perhaps sharper than he'd intended, because he gave her an apologetic look after that. "We'll take him home before any more of those...things show up."

"But..."

"You can question him when he wakes up," Cloud said gruffly. "Just...please. He's my brother...or good as. I'll take care of him. We take care of each other – we've done it long before you got here. We're not so helpless."

And though she knew he didn't mean it harshly, his words cut her to the quick. She faltered, swallowing thickly.

"You're reckless," Cissnei said, coming to her friend's defense. "Aerith is only trying to help."

"What's there to help?" Cloud demanded, his face pale, but set, his jaw working. "She said it herself. He's healed. We're taking him home..." With that, Cloud hefted his unconscious friend, and with a strength Aerith wouldn't have guessed Cloud had, began to carry Zack out of the basement, back toward the spiraling staircase. Tifa hesitated, remaining behind for only a second.

"Don't mind Cloud – he's...we're both worried for Zack, that's all. You can come visit him later. I'm sure he'll be glad to see you." Then Tifa hurried after her boyfriend, and Aerith watched as they disappeared, feeling more isolated from them than ever.

"Aerith?" Cissnei asked softly after a long moment of eery silence.

"Let's go," Aerith sighed, unwilling to talk about what had just happened. She had no answers to give – only questions of her own, swirling in her head.

* * *

Zack woke up on his stomach, the unsettling feeling of not knowing quite where he was lingering as his brain tried to process what was going on. He shifted, blinking blearily, his eyes drinking in the familiar sight of his room. He was home. How had he gotten home?

His eyes adjusted to the light – it was day, the light stretching its fingers through his window and hitting his face – and he focused on the figure of Aerith, her eyes closed, her hands clasped together as though in prayer.

"What are you praying for?" he asked, his voice hoarse and dry. How long had he been asleep?

Her eyes jerked open, flashing with relief, then concern. "You're awake."

"It seems so," he said, licking his dry lips.

"Here," she said quickly, offering him a glass of cool water. He sipped it gratefully, the liquid soothing his irritated throat.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "And why were you praying?" he asked again, bewildered.

"I was praying for you, of course," she answered simply, rising from her position on the ground, sitting hesitantly on the side of his bed. "Your mother let me in – you've been asleep for several days...she was worried for you, I think. We all were," she added, twisting a lock of her brown hair nervously around her finger.

"I've been asleep for days?" he asked, shaking his head groggily. "Wait. What happened?"

"Do you remember anything from the mansion?"

Even as she mentioned it, flashes of the day flickered through his mind. Some monster, falling on him, clawing at his back. He sat up, the blanket sliding off his bare chest, and he reached around awkwardly, feeling at his back. It was smooth, except for two slightly raised scars.

"You saved me?" he asked, letting his fingers run over the skin. "Healed me with your magic?"

"I was going to," she said slowly, her eyes now staring into his intently. "But then you healed yourself."

"What?" he chuckled weakly. "No...I can't heal anybody, least of all myself. I don't have magic," he insisted, shaking his head.

"But you did. I watched it happen. So did Tifa and Cloud – ask them, if you don't believe me."

He frowned, the trail of his fingers slowing. He let his arms drop back at his sides, chewing his lip. There had only been one other instance in his life where he'd miraculously healed – after the explosion in Gongaga. He'd somehow survived, but ended up in a year long coma. Had something similar happened again? Was that why he had slept for so many days?

"Your body was recovering, I think" Aerith said, and he wondered if she was reading his mind. "You were quite sickly looking afterward – and its no wonder, you lost so much blood..." she trailed off, looking down at her hands, her mouth shifting to the side glumly. Then her eyes flicked back up to him, an angry gleam in them.

"I thought you weren't going to run ahead?" she demanded, her voice rising slightly. He winced guiltily, shrugging contritely.

"I'm sorry – I forgot."

"You could have gotten yourself killed," she scolded, her cheeks flushing angrily. "That was such a stupid thing to do."

"What can I say? I'm kind of stupid," he said, rubbing the back of his head as the young woman in front of him scolded him as thoroughly as his own mother would. Then her face crumpled and she shook her head.

"I'm glad you're okay, though."

"Me too," he said with a weak grin, hoping she wouldn't yell at him anymore.

She stared at him, and he shifted under her scrutiny.

"What's that?" she asked him, pointing to his torso. He glanced down, spotting an old scar – the only scar that had not faded after his accident in Gongaga. He sighed heavily, realizing that he could no longer keep his past a secret from Aerith anymore.

"Where's Cissnei?" he asked her, and she looked slightly perturbed that he had not answered her question.

"At the Inn," she informed him, raising her brow.

"You have time?" he asked, sitting up, his head spinning slightly. He was weaker than he thought – he was probably long due for another mako bath, especially after his bodies' little magic trick.

"Yes – as much time as you need," she said, and she reached across and grasped his hand. It was a comforting gesture, and he sighed, drawing strength and contentment from it.

"When I was thirteen, I still lived in Gongaga..." he began. She listened in silence as he wove his story, about how he had blatantly disobeyed his mother and paid the price. She made no comment as he spoke about his coma, waking up to find his body miraculously healed – she only reached forward again with her free hand, letting her fingertips glide gently over the old scar, causing goosebumps to scatter over his skin. She watched him with sympathetic eyes as he told her how Shinra did nothing to help him or his mother after the incident.

"And -" he hesitated. He had never told anyone about the voice in his head, but the same voice was telling him to tell _her_ about it. He had joked about the voice with her, sure, but he had never intended for her to take it seriously. He took a steadying breath, and let his last secret go. "I also woke up with this...voice in my head. I'm not sure how to explain it, honestly...just that it has been there ever since and that its gotten...I don't know, stronger, ever since _you _arrived."

He watched her carefully, unsure how she would react to this confession. Would she think him crazy? Instead, though, he thought he saw a flicker of recognition in her eyes, and she tilted her head to the side, biting the side of her lip as she pondered.

"That is...strange," she admitted, and his heart sank. She did think he was crazy. She continued, though. "When I was young...I think...there was a voice for me, too. I didn't like it, though. It told me my mother was dead," she told him haltingly as she remembered. "One day, it went away." She had a far off look in her eyes, but then she brought her focus back to him, that intense look in her eyes again. It made his stomach flutter, and he swallowed again. "Perhaps we are not so different," she said, squeezing his hand. "I have never seen anyone do magic without materia. Not like me."

"I think it was a fluke," he joked weakly, shifting his gaze to his bed covers.

"Maybe not," she countered. "You didn't tell me what this has to do with your mako baths."

"The voice in my head," he said, pointing to his temple. "It tells me when I have to go – but the doctors, the say that mako was what kept me alive during the blast. The mako from the generator. Maybe they're right. I don't know how mako could have cured me when its supposed to be poisoned, but maybe it just affects me differently. So whenever I'm feeling weak, I go to the mako pool. It makes me strong. Healthy. I guess...but honestly..." his voice dropped to a whisper as he confessed his fear. "I think every year I get a little bit closer to dying." He gripped his bed cover in his hands, his knuckles turning white. "I think I'm dying," he repeated in a hushed voice, hating the small tremor that came out with it. "And I can never leave this place, because this is where the mako pool is. Pure, unfiltered mako, to keep me alive, but slowly kill me," he said bitterly. "That is why I hate Shinra, Aerith."

"I'm...I'm so sorry, Zack," Aerith whispered, and when he met her eyes, he was surprised to see tears there. Did she really care so much? She hardly knew him, after all. But her concern was touching, and he grasped her hand in both of his.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Aerith."

"My magic – it tried to cure you before," she said earnestly. "Maybe I could help you."

Zack felt a flutter of hope in his chest, like a trapped bird, but he quelled the feeling. He had long ago given up the idea of living a long, full life. He had just taken life as it was, living every moment as fully as he could.

"I don't know," he said, his voice strained. "I think your magic might be like the mako – a temporary cure for a lifetime of sickness."

"It's worth a try, though," she insisted, gripping his hand fiercely.

"Why...why do you want to help me so?" he asked, unable to meet her gaze.

"I-I care about you, that's why."

"You barely know me," he chided her gently, peeking up at her from underneath his lashes. She had a faint blush on her cheeks.

"Like I said – you and I are not so different. Maybe I know you better than you think. And even if I don't, I'd like to know you. To get to know you."

"You're here for a job, Aerith. Not to go saving every poor lout with a disease," he said.

"Jobs can wait. Other things are more important."

"And I'm more important?" he asked, looking at her straight on now, his heart pounding in his chest as he waited for her answer.

"_I_ think so," she answered softly, but without doubt. He sighed, letting himself smile.

"You are undeniably sweet, do you know that?" he said quietly, and she flushed again, but smiled.

"Does this mean you'll let me help you."

"If you wish," he resigned. "I guess I can't resist you."

"A futile attempt," she smirked.

Thundering steps alerted the pair of visitors, and Aerith made to pull her hand away, but Zack kept a firm grip on it, unembarrassed to be found holding her hand. The noisy steps could only mean Cloud and Tifa were there to check up on him.

"You think you two would be a bit quieter, seeing as I'm an invalid and trying to get rest and all," he called as Cloud opened the door, smiling at his best friend. Both their eyes darted to his hand enclosing Aerith's, but they said nothing. They must have really been worried, he realized, not to make a teasing remark at this public display of affection.

"You look pale," Tifa said, sitting down on the side of his bed, opposite of Aerith.

"You look worried," Zack retorted, clucking quietly at her. "Mother hen."

"Only because you boys give me so much reason to worry," she replied, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"You're okay, Zack?" Cloud asked, his voice low, his blue eyes gazing at him searchingly.

"Fine," he assured Cloud, a lazy smile alighting his features. "I'll be right as rain within the next few days. What did you tell my mom?" he asked, and even as he did so, his mother appeared, a look of relief spreading across her face. Zack felt a guilty twinge as he searched his mother's face – she looked tired and weary.

"Hello, Mom," he said, and Tifa moved over as his mother came to sit next to him, brushing his hair back and the resting her hand on his cheek.

"They told me what happened," she said, her voice berating, though without any real heat. "Why must you always find trouble, Zack?"

"Trouble seems to find me, Mom," he said, and she shook her head.

"Do you need anything?" she asked. Zack looked into his mother's concerned eyes, then at his two best friends, and finally down at his hand, his fingers interlocked with Aerith's.

"No, Mom. I think I've got everything I need right now."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the small delay, started summer school a week ago, house-sat for my mom, and generally lazed about instead of doing anything constructive. Here's chapter 7, though. Cissnei will be hanging around for a little bit, I suspect, but who knows how it will go down. I just write what comes to me. So Aerith knows about Zack's accident/illness now. As for the rest of the secrets the mansion holds – those won't come into play until later. (; Please review, as I assume you've read already if you're all the way at the bottom of this page! Ha. Thanks to everyone who's already left me so many lovely reviews and words of encouragement. You guys are great. **


	9. Birthday of a Dying Boy

**Chapter 8 – Birthday of a Dying Boy**

November clothed Nibelheim in blankets of white and breathed cold, frigid air into every nook and crevice it could, seeking bare skin to nip at and grip with icy winds. November in Nibelheim was the time of year everyone took to staying inside with cups of hot chocolate and fires blazing in the fireplace. Zack loved November – it probably had something to do with the fact that his birthday was on the 15th, though. His mother was already making a fuss about her little boy becoming a man, much to Cloud and Tifa's amusement.

The days following his accident at the mansion had been considerably more boring, some days filled with restless energy, others with a weariness that led Zack to lie in bed all day, pale and shaking. The bright side was that Aerith came to visit him often, which made the days he spent bored in his room much more bearable. He found he didn't even mind when she brought Cissnei along – the younger girl had loosened up considerably, though there was always a hardness about her, a cool, calculating element. He supposed that was the product of her upbringing, though that hardly explained the difference between her and Aerith's personalities.

When Zack mentioned it to Aerith, the girl just shrugged and rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"She's different here than she is back home. Not dramatically," she added, biting her lip. "But, like me, she doesn't really know how to act around...well, civilians," she said with an apologetic shrug. "And well, growing up in an environment like we did...can you blame her?" It made sense, he guessed. Growing up at Shinra, trained in a field of deception and intrigue, it only seemed natural that Cissnei would be hesitant to let her guard down.

"But you're not like that," Zack pointed out, and Aerith shrugged her shoulders again, smiling serenely.

"I'm not like a lot of people."

That was something Zack could definitely agree with. Aerith was unlike anyone he'd ever met.

He was currently lying in his bed, cursing his weariness. He'd put off his usual trek up the mountainside as long as possible, trying and failing to beat his illness. His only consolation was that Aerith was coming around to begin her 'treatments', as she called them. He only hoped they worked – he feared he wouldn't be strong enough to make it up the mountain this time. A mixture of self-pity and bitterness welled up in him, swirling malevolently, but then he pushed it back down, effectively putting a lid on his darker emotions. Self-pity would do him no good.

The creak of the stairs alerted him to Aerith's presence, and he felt his mouth tugging upward at the prospect of seeing her. The door opened, and his suspicions were confirmed as her pale face peered into the room, an uncertain look shifting to a pretty smile.

"Glad to see you're awake," she said, slipping into his room and shutting the door behind her. She was cloaked in heavy clothing, a scarf wrapped tightly around her neck to keep the cold away, and he could smell the distinct scent of winter air lingering on her clothes. Her cheeks were tinged with the faintest hint of pink from where the frosty air had nipped at her skin, but Zack thought it only added to her loveliness. He watched as she shed her heavier clothes, and he longed to be able to go outside again, to leave behind the stale air of his room.

Zack chuckled weakly. "My mom will think we're up to no good in here," he said, referring to the now shut door. Aerith rolled her eyes, but continued to smile indulgently at him.

"You look tired today," she said, choosing to ignore his comment.

"I feel tired today. I don't go this long without...well, you know." He shrugged indifferently, the effort of moving his muscles surprisingly exhausting. "So how does this work?"

"I've never done this before, but I'm hoping I'll be able to pinpoint whatever is keeping you sick and using my magic to cure you."

"Sounds easy enough."

"Easier than it sounds," she murmured, setting on the side of his bed, her weight barely making a depression in the mattress.

"What do I do?"

"You can just lie there," she told him, and he sighed.

"That's all I've been doing lately."

"Well, hopefully this will make you well enough so that you don't have to sit around any longer," she replied pertly, lying her hand on top of his. He stared at their hands, his eyelids feeling heavy and hot, the way they always did when he was sick. His whole body felt heavy, honestly. And he ached. It was like having the flu, but worse. In comparison, Aerith's hand felt cool, a welcome relief to the irritating heat he was consumed with.

"You're warm," she noted, her other hand resting on his forehead. He licked at his dry lips, nodding weakly. "We shouldn't have left this for so long," she added with a concerned look, worrying away at her bottom lip with her teeth.

"I'll be fine," he rasped, closing his eyes.

"You're weak," she said, her voice low. "Its like...you're drained."

"I feel that way," he mumbled.

"I'm going to try and heal you now, okay?" she said, and he made a noise of affirmation, eyes still closed. Her hands grasped his more tightly, and though she said no words, a cool, tingling sensation rushed up his arms and straight to his head. It was a curious feeling – his body recognized the way the magic felt, its similarities to mako, but he could also sense the differences. The mako fountain was liquid – an obvious observation, perhaps – and the moment he would sit in the pool, he could feel his strength returning. Aerith's magic had the same likeness, but it felt more...ethereal. It wasn't like a liquid, filling him to the brim; more like slowly swirling spirits, creeping up into him and throughout him, like liquid gas. With the magic, he heard the faintest of whispers, like the voice in his head, but multiplied by thousands, and he understood, without knowing why, that these were the voices of the long dead, those gone on into the lifestream.

With this realization also came the crushing feeling that Aerith's magic was not _enough_. It was _so close_, but something was missing. He opened his eyes and stared at the girl in front of him, her eyes closed, her brow furrowed in concentration, her lips moving soundlessly.

"Aerith," he whispered, gripping her hand. She opened her eyes, their green magnified by the magic that swirled within them, the mako in her glowing with energy. "It won't work," he said sadly, the taste of disappointment rising up in his throat and sitting unpleasantly in his mouth.

"We just need to try more – I need to explore more options..." she faltered at the expression on his face.

"No. The voice. It knows...I know. It's not strong enough. Its the same...but different." He knew he wasn't making any sense, but he couldn't explain it himself. He sighed, frustration resting heavily in his chest.

"It is different," she said, still holding onto his hand. He could feel the lingering affects of her magic swirling low in his belly, tingling.

"How so?" he asked curiously, shifting so that he could sit up and see her more clearly.

"The mako you see is condensed, and that is why it is liquid in form. Mako in its raw form is little more than spirit energy."

"So magic is just spirits?" he asked, frowning.

"In a sense. You see, materia, which is just crystallized mako, contains the memories and knowledge of those who have lived and died in the past. Materia is a...conduit between the wielder and the lifestream. Its what allows magic to manifest itself into something physical, more than just a memory."

"...Wow. I didn't know there was that much to materia. So how is it you can use magic without materia? I mean, if it's the, er, pathway that lets other people connect to the lifestream..."

"I don't know, honestly," she answered. "I've always been able to reach out and just grab it."

"I still don't see why magic is different than the mako fountain," Zack sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Why don't they do the same thing?"

Aerith released his hand, pulling away from the bed, a fierce frown on her face. He could practically see the gears turning in her head. She didn't pace or tap her chin; she merely stood there, arms folded, staring at the wall, and he could imagine that she was envisioning a solution – or at least trying to.

"...Maybe the mako doesn't cure you. Mako doesn't necessarily cure...only if its called upon specifically to do that, does it heal..." she muttered, and Zack understood she was thinking aloud. She licked her lips, her eyes lighting up. "Liquid mako is energy. All mako is energy, of course, but liquid mako can be converted into a power source. So maybe..." she turned to face him finally, her face flushed with the thrill of her own discovery. "When you had your accident, a reactor blew up. A reactor filled with liquid mako - energy. By all rights, it should have killed you. Some people are more naturally resistant to mako, though, as seen in SOLDIERS. So perhaps your body _absorbed_ the mako. I think it made you into some sort of...human battery. And you have to go and recharge whenever you start to run low."

"Then why am I sick?" he asked, staring at her avidly. She was so certain that he felt it had to be true, at least in some sense. "How did I heal myself? Do I have some sort of connection to the lifestream, too, like you? Is that why I have this voice in my head?"

"Mako is poisonous, no matter how resistant you are. Small doses are okay, and SOLDIERS build up a resistance through treatments – but you got all that mako in one go, and you continue to expose yourself to large quantities of mako monthly. I think, even as you're recharging, you're killing yourself," she said, and a sad look stole over her face. "The healing...the voice...I have no answers for you there. I hardly understand it myself...How do I cure you if mako isn't the answer?" she sat heavily on his bed, burying her face I her hands. "I'm so sorry," she said, her voice muffled. "I got your hopes up...I..."

"Aerith," he said gently, pulling her hands away from her face and peering up into her bright eyes. "It's okay. I got more answers today than I could have hoped for. Without you, I may have never figured this all out. I would have died without understanding what happened to me...I might still die. I know that. But hey, they're finding ways to treat mako poisoning all the time, aren't they? Maybe they can find a cure for me, too."

"Cases like yours...its never been heard of," she said brokenly. "The most severe cases, they're impossible to treat..."

"Hey. I believe you can help me. I just know it. The voice in my head, it tells me so. And I know it, in my heart. I think you can do anything. You...you're special. You'll figure this out. Until then...I guess I have to keep going to the mako pool."

"It's killing you," she protested.

"I'll die without it. I'll die sooner if I don't go..." he swallowed, hating the cumbersome melancholy that had fallen over them. "Besides. I can't die yet. My birthday is in a week," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

This only seemed to upset her further, though, and she gave a choked sound, then threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He hesitated, surprised at her sudden outburst, but then drew his arms around her waist, resting his cheek against her head.

"I promise...I'll find some way to help you," she whispered, her breath tickling his ear.

"I know," he sighed, closing his eyes.

* * *

Cloud and Tifa stood on either side of him, gripping each of his arms tightly, practically dragging him up the mountain. He felt so _damn weak_. It was infuriating. His feet stumbled again, and he nearly fell forward, and would have, if not for his two friends keeping him steady.

"Thanks," he rasped, licking at his dry lips, only to have them dry immediately in the cold wind. After Aerith's attempt failed, Zack decided he needed to go back to the mako pool, and he had asked Tifa and Cloud to help him up there. Normally he wouldn't have bothered, too proud to ask for help, but he felt as weak as a kitten lately. Aerith had offered to help him, but he'd gently declined her. She'd already seen him at his worst – to have her help him crawl up the mountain would be more than he could endure.

"Thank us when we get you up there," Tifa said, her voice muffled behind her scarf, dark eyes barely visible between her thick woolen hat and the top of her scarf.

"So, big day tomorrow," Cloud panted, tugging Zack up again as his legs gave out from under him. "What do you want to do?"

"You know, the usual – giant party, hundreds of people, lots of presents," he joked weakly.

"Ah, so movie night?" Tifa chuckled. "Are you inviting Aerith and Cissnei?"

"If they want to come, sure," Zack said, trying to shrug nonchalantly.

"What do you think Aerith will get you, hm?" Cloud teased, his voice light. "Shall we get you two up on the water tower?"

Zack shook his head, rolling his eyes. "I don't need to go to a water tower to get the courage to kiss Aerith," he said, teasing Cloud back. "Besides, I'd probably freeze to death up there."

"Then why haven't you kissed her yet?" Cloud shot back, choosing to ignore the last bit of Zack's comment.

"If you haven't noticed, I've been a little bed-ridden," Zack said, his voice cracking and sending him into a fit of coughing. They paused while Zack wheezed, continuing on when he'd finally stopped.

"You okay?" Tifa asked, and Zack felt Tifa rubbing his back soothingly.

"Of course. I'll be right as rain when we get to the pool – ah! There it is," he said, relief flooding through him as he caught sight of the familiar green glow beckoning him around the bend.

"Finally," Cloud grunted. "You would think this hike would get easier the more we do it – but no, we only have viciously cold winds whipping past us and snow slicker than snot coating the mountain," he complained.

"Naturally," Zack grinned.

They came to a stop at the glowing pool and Zack hesitated, dreading the moment he'd have to strip out of his clothes and climb in. The pool would be warm enough, and he'd rather not have his clothes freeze on the way home, but the idea of taking any clothes off in _this_ weather was enough to make Zack shudder. Teeth chattering, he slowly unzipped his coat, tugging it off reluctantly, then picked the pace up even as his knees began to knock together, wanting to get it over with quickly. He handed Cloud his clothing, leaving his boxers on for modesty's sake, and quickly submerged himself into the liquid mako, his muscles relaxing in its warmth and comfort.

He couldn't help but think of what Aerith had said – that he was like a human battery – as he felt himself recharging. It made him feel strangely like a machine, an object dependent on the life of the planet to function. What would happen when it was all used up? Zack sighed, a mixture of pity and anger swirling through him. Shinra had done more than ruin his life – they were slowly ruining everyone's lives. But how did you stop a corporation that as good as owned the world?

Cloud and Tifa stood huddled together, and Zack contemplated his friends as he soaked. For so long, he'd viewed his sickness as a curse – but somehow, it had brought him to Tifa and Cloud, and if he hadn't been in Nibelheim, who knows if he'd had ever met Aerith. Then again, if he'd never had his accident, maybe he would have joined SOLDIER and met her there. With a final, weary sigh, Zack pulled himself out of the mako, the cold air biting his skin with unforgiving bitterness as it made contact, and Tifa wrapped him in his towel quickly. With spastic shivers, he dried himself off hastily and held his hand out impatiently for his clothes. His limbs shook violently as he tugged his pants up and lifted his arms to pull his shirt on.

As he stood, dressed, still shivering, he took a final look back at the innocently glowing pool, wondering how long he'd last this time. He may have been like a battery, but it seemed with each trip, he held his charge less and less, and drained far more quickly.

The sound of crunching snow brought him back to the present, and he followed his two best friends down the mountain, arms clenched tightly around himself.

* * *

"So, my birthday's tomorrow," Zack said casually, shrugging his shoulders slightly as he sat next to her.

"I know," she said, the corner of her mouth twitching upward in a half smile.

"It's just going to be a small thing, but, er, you and Cissnei are welcome to come."

"Thanks, Zack. We'd love to." Then, "You seem better after your trip," she said, referring to his rendezvous with the mako pool.

"I feel better," he agreed, though he looked troubled.

"So, what do you want for your birthday?" she asked him, hoping to take his mind off of his predicament. Immediately, the distant look in his eyes disappeared and he smiled at her, his cheeks flushing.

"You don't have to get me anything..." he muttered, ruffling his hair with his hand nervously.

"Of course I do," she protested. "I may not have been raised normally, but I still know that birthdays mean presents."

"But I don't _need_ anything," he said, shrugging. "Besides, birthdays aren't just about presents."

"No, but they're fun," she grinned. "Fine," she sighed in mock sadness. "I'll just figure something out on my own."

"Just surprise him, Zack likes those," Tifa said as she joined them, a wily smile on her face. She sat herself down on the other side of Zack, bumping his shoulder casually.

"Where's Cloud?" Aerith asked. It was rare to see Tifa without Cloud soon behind.

"He's at home," she replied. Zack and Aerith stared at her, and she shrugged uncomfortably after a moment. "What? We don't spend all our time together," she said defensively. Zack rolled his eyes and she sighed, grinning. "Well, not _all_ the time. Most of the time," she acquiesced. "He's complaining that he got frostbite from our hike up the mountain. He's just being a big baby if you ask me."

"He's complaining?" Zack snorted. "I think my nipples nearly froze off."

Aerith snorted loudly, unable to contain the sudden laughter that ripped from her at his unexpected comment.

"Zack!" Tifa laughed, shoving him. "That's too much information," she said weakly.

"It's true, though," he insisted, rubbing at his chest. "I'm lucky. They may have needed to be amputated. Can you imagine how I'd look _sans _nipples?" He asked, his face twitching as he struggled to keep his face serious.

"You're worse than Cloud," Tifa told him, her laughter doubling as she wiped at her eyes. Aerith smiled at the two, admiring the friendly relationship the two friends had. It was apparent to Aerith that Zack, Cloud, and Tifa considered each other family. "And I really don't want to imagine you with or without nipples, Zack," Tifa wheezed.

"Jeez, Teef, can you stop talking about my manly chest now? I mean, what made you bring it up?"

She spluttered at him and hit him in the arm firmly, and he groaned, grabbing his arm and rubbing it furiously.

"Ow!" he shouted. "Could you have punched me a little harder? I hope you get me a good birthday present to make up for it!"

"Yeah, yeah," Tifa said, sticking her tongue out at him. "You baby. You are worse than Cloud."

"Well, he gets kisses after you beat him up," Zack pointed out, then held his hands up quickly. "Don't kiss me. Yuck."

"Thanks," Tifa said dryly. "That makes me feel fantastic."

"Oh, you know I love you – just in a brotherly way, right?" he said, throwing his arm around her neck and grinning.

"Well, maybe Aerith will kiss it better," Tifa said slyly, and Aerith stopped her chuckling, her smile slipping away as her cheeks burned crimson. She noticed Zack looked a little flushed as well. "Nevermind," Tifa said airily, looking skyward. "I wouldn't want to inflict that kind of punishment on Aerith."

"Hey!" Zack protested, tugging her closer to him, a firm grip on her. "That's not a very nice thing to say to a guy right before his birthday. Besides, Aerith thinks I'm quite good looking, don't you?"

"I-" Aerith began, flustered. She was struggling to keep up with their fast paced banter, and all the while her brain as racing with images and fantasies of kissing Zack. No, she wouldn't have minded kissing it better at all...

"It's not a matter of how good looking you are, Zack," Tifa said, her voice muffled as she wrestled out of his grip, her hair mussed up. She smoothed her hair down methodically and continued. "It's only a matter of how inexperienced you are with kissing," she told him, smirking again. "I'm sure Aerith has had lots of practice."

Zack's eyes darted up to her, and she saw a flicker of uncertainty there. He masked it in a second, his grin returning.

"I guess she'll just have to teach me, then, won't she?" he asked, his eyes never leaving Aerith's. If possible, she blushed more.

"If she can stand to put up with you," Tifa said, but she was smiling and looking between the two of them, a smug, self-satisfied look on her face.

"Zack! Come inside and eat!" Zack's mother called from the house, and Zack jerked his head back and shouted his "Alright!" before looking back at Aerith, a look in his eyes that made her stomach jolt.

"Dinner calls," he said, that lazy smile still playing on his lips, and she inclined her head slightly in a nod.

"See you tomorrow," she promised, and he repeated her gesture back, waved goodbye to Tifa, and sauntered back to his house.

"Sorry to make you the center of my little jokes," Tifa apologized as Zack drew out of earshot.

"No harm done," Aerith replied, smiling agreeably.

"So what are you going to get him for his birthday?" Tifa asked, much more serious now.

"I don't know. He told me he doesn't need anything."

"That...that is probably true. But there _is _something he wants...come on, I"ll show you," Tifa said, grabbing her hand and tugging on it, leading her toward the nearest shop. Aerith smiled to herself. She had spent very little time alone with Tifa, but she felt a rush of affection for the younger girl. She was very mature for her age, which was how, Aerith supposed, she put up with the antics of Cloud and Zack.

"Thanks," Aerith murmured quietly to Tifa, who paused and turned back to look at her, a mix of surprise and confusion on her face.

"It's no problem. Now – how much do you feel like spending on Zack?" she asked, dragging her into the shop with a wry grin.

* * *

Zack woke as suddenly as if he'd been shaken awake, but his room was silent, still dark. It was his birthday. He lay there, mulling over this fact, trying to decide if he felt any different. No, not really. He still felt like himself, he still felt the dark sickness creeping inside him. But then, at least he had made it to his birthday. Of that, he was grateful. He tried closing his eyes to fall back asleep, but an anxious energy thrummed in his chest, and finally, he gave up trying to sleep and threw his covers back, carefully making his way around his room in the darkness, dressing quickly and quietly.

He slipped out his bedroom door, tiptoeing past his mother's room, holding his breath – not that he was doing anything strictly frowned upon, but he didn't want to wake her. As he reached the front door, he pulled on his heavy coat and shoved a hat down over his ears, followed by his gloves, then opened the door slowly, wincing slightly as the door creaked from the cold. He hurried out, shutting the door softly behind him, then made his way to the water tower at a leisurely pace, crisp snow crunching underfoot. He inhaled deeply, the sharp coldness of the air stinging his nostrils and lungs, but it succeeded in waking him up fully.

The sun was beginning to creep up from behind the mountains, shedding a grey, pale light into the sky. The water tower was a dark silhouette against the feeble light, and Zack just another shadow moving slowly up to the top. He was surprised to find someone already sitting there.

"Cissnei?" he asked, his voice low – for some reason, he'd always felt the need to stay quiet in the early morning, like the world would awaken rudely if he spoke any louder.

"Hello, Zack," she replied, seeming completely unsurprised by his arrival.

"What are you doing up here?" Zack asked as he took a seat next to her, rubbing his hands together to warm them.

"Aerith told me you come up here to watch the sunrise sometimes. I figured on your birthday I'd find you here."

"Good guess," Zack muttered, raising a brow she couldn't see in the darkness.

"I'm trained to observe, Zack," Cissnei replied, her eyes still out on the brightening horizon. "It's critical for me to determine what my target's next action will be. I'd be a poor Turk if I couldn't figure out that you would wake up early on a day like today, based on the knowledge I've gathered from watching you."

"You've been watching me?" he asked, feeling vaguely creeped out.

"Naturally," Cissnei said, finally turning to face him. He could just make out her features in the light. It struck him that she was rather pretty, but at the same time, he realized how young she looked. He felt a stab of sympathy for her – she'd never experienced a real childhood. She was still a child, however mature, but for all her attitude, she was an adult. But then, she was a trained killer. There was no room for childish antics in that.

"Why were you waiting for me up here, Cissnei?" he asked softly.

"I need to talk to you," she said formally, and he felt a bit of unease slip into his chest. He hoped she hadn't gotten the wrong idea... "You're not just messing Aerith around, are you?" she asked sharply, completely derailing Zack's train of thought.

"I- What?" he asked, startled.

"Aerith," Cissnei repeated firmly, her eyes locked on his, serious and deadly. "You aren't just leading her on, are you?"

"Of course not," he said defensively, frowning. "I like Aerith."

"I know that," Cissnei said flatly. "And you must know she likes you – rather a lot, actually. I just wanted to make sure you aren't trying to get in her pants and then leave her hanging."

"Hey!" he said, his voice raising. "What kind of guy do you think I am?"

"I think you're a guy, nothing more. And guys are all the same," she said with conviction.

"We're not," he muttered, shaking his head. "I'm not like that. Do you really think I'd do that to Aerith? I couldn't, you know. She's just...so sweet, you know? She refuses to give up hope that she can help me. And there's just...something about her. I can't explain it."

At this, Cissnei laughed slightly.

"What?" Zack asked, his face growing warm. Was she teasing him for his confession?

"Aerith said the same thing. That there was something about you she couldn't explain. Hey, maybe it's fate," she said, her face lighting up, and Zack saw a flash of the happy girl she could have been without the Turks. It was gone in a second though, and she was all business again.

"Well, I'm glad you don't want to hurt her. But that doesn't mean you won't."

"I wouldn't-!"

"Maybe not on purpose. But trust me, you'll hurt Aerith somehow. But if I ever find out you've done it on purpose, I'll find you, and then I'll cut your balls off." She said this, her face completely straight, and Zack swallowed audibly.

"Right. Warning heeded."

"Happy Birthday, Zack," she said brightly. "See you at the party!" And then she jumped off the water tower, landing with ease that Zack had expected from her, and sauntered back toward the Inn, looking self-satisfied.

"That was weird," Zack sighed to himself, leaning back on his elbows to enjoy the sunrise. He speculated on what his life would have been like if he'd never moved to Nibelheim. What would he be like if he'd become a SOLDIER? Would he be hard like Cissnei? Would he have birthday parties? Would he have had a list of girlfriends and admirers?

He sighed again, feeling slightly disgruntled. Lately, he'd felt so conflicted. Like everything he'd thought he'd known about Shinra was wrong. Well, maybe not all of it. But a lot of it. Maybe it was a result of his dying, and the realization that he probably didn't have long to live. Maybe he was trying to make peace with himself, he thought. Or maybe it was just because he was growing up.

"Hey birthday boy!" A sweet voice called up to him, and the smile he couldn't keep off his face when she came around crept onto his face once again.

"Good morning, Aerith," he said, looking down to her from atop the water tower. "You're up bright and early," he noted, drinking in the sight of her. Maybe it was the way the sun was lighting up her hair, or the way her eyes seemed to glow even more, but he thought she looked exceptionally beautiful.

"As are you," she said, smiling up at him. "Happy Birthday – I wanted to be the first to tell you!"

Her words seemed to warm up his insides, and his smile grew broader. "Sorry," he apologized. "Cissnei beat you to it."

Her face fell noticeably and she appeared to pout a little. "Cissnei? What was she doing out here?"

"Oh, we just had a little chat," he shrugged, climbing down from the tower now to meet her. "You just missed her."

"Drat" she said, her eyebrows scrunching together in an all too adorable way.

"Well, it's the thought that counts," he assured her.

"So, how does it feel to be a year older?"

"Pretty much the same as I did yesterday," he chuckled. "Am I supposed to feel different? Why do people always ask if it feels different?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "Maybe growing up is supposed to feel a certain way."

"I guess it's more exciting when you're younger," he concluded. "When you're older, it just means you're getting old."

"Yes, because you are nearing an elderly age," she teased. "You're so old."

"Oh hush," he laughed, a thrilling shock speeding to his heart as she touched his arm lightly.

"What were you doing up there?" she asked curiously, eyebrows lifting expressively.

"I was just wondering what my life would have been like if things were different."

"Oh?"

"...I dunno. I think I would have traveled more. I'd still like to...if I'm ever cured, I guess. I want to see the world. Having lived my whole life in two small towns has been pretty boring."

"The world is exciting," Aerith agreed, nodding, her hair bouncing slightly. "I think that's the best part of being at Shinra. I get to travel a lot and see different places. I guess it makes up for having little vacation time, though I don't usually get to enjoy the places I travel to."

"Where have you been?" he asked, his interest piqued.

"Oh, all over the place," she said. "Midgar, obviously. Junon is another place I visit frequently, because the Vice President is stationed there, and it's our second largest city...but I've been to other remote places. Modeoheim, way up north – that was pretty cold," she chuckled. "I've also been to Kalm and Fort Condor...the Cosmo Canyon, once, just briefly – we were passing through, really...umm...I saw the Golden Saucer once, but I've never been. I was on business again, so we couldn't make a side trip. Er...well, I've also been to Costa de Sol, a popular vacation place. That time I was _supposed _to be vacationing, but I got, er, interrupted, let's say. And I've been here as well. Obviously," she finished, her cheeks flushing slightly.

"Wow," Zack breathed, leaning up against the wooden support to the water tower. "Sounds like you've been everywhere. I'm jealous," he grinned. "I'd like to do that someday," he added softly. "Well, not work at Shinra, but just travel, you know?"

Aerith's eyes lit up in understanding and she smiled, inclining her head. She leaned up next to him, staring down at the ground, moving her feet through the snow.

"Hey, maybe one day you and I could travel. After you cure me, right?" he laughed. "We'll go to the Golden Saucer and spend all our money and have to become traveling bums. You can use your magical talents to cure sick people in all the small towns we pass through and I'll make money by...er..."

"Showing off your sword-fighting skills," Aerith added, grinning.

"I don't sword fight," Zack pointed out.

"You could if you wanted," Aerith said, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Right. So first I'll learn how to fight with a sword, and then we'll become a traveling hobo duo. Oh, wait. We should bring Cloud and Tifa along. Tifa knows how to fight, so she could show off her martial arts and Cloud can be her punching bag," he said, punching the air in front of him. He exchanged looks with Aerith before they both started laughing, clutching at their stomachs.

When Aerith finally came up for air, wheezing slightly, wiping at her eyes, she took a deep breath and sighed. "That sounds like fun," she said, sounding wistful.

"We could do it," Zack said.

"No. Maybe you could. But I doubt Shinra would be willing to let me take that much vacation time."

"So quit," Zack shot back, shrugging.

Aerith gave him a quizzical look, then shook her head. "Shinra is my family – at least, the people there are. I couldn't leave. It's thanks to Tseng that I'm probably even alive right now. I mean, what would have happened to me if he hadn't come along after my mother died?"

"I don't get it. I don't get how you like Shinra," Zack sighed, picking at his fingernails.

"They saved me. I have a lot to be thankful for. Besides, not everyone who works at Shinra is bad," Aerith pointed out. "I mean, you don't think I'm a bad guy, do you?" she laughed.

"No," Zack said, growing frustrated. "I think you work for a bad company though, and that you'd be better off without them."

"Zack," she began slowly, her brow furrowing again. He could see the disagreement written all over her face. "I know you had a horrible experience, but -"

"Don't." He cut her off, his jaw clenched.

"Zack," she repeated, her voice still firm. "The people at Shinra – they are my only family. They're the only people I've got. Family – it's important, don't you think? Would you leave Cloud and Tifa if someone told you they thought they were bad people?"

"Cloud and Tifa aren't bad people," Zack protested.

"Neither are Tseng or Cissnei, or Sephiroth, or the other people I work with. They're good people, Zack."

"Not President Shinra. No way. Look at the decisions he's made. He doesn't care about anything except for his stupid company. And Shinra covers things up. They're secretive. You've said so yourself," he argued, aware that his voice was raising, but unable to stop himself. "And Sephiroth," he spat, venom in his voice. "He's killed innocent people! People in Wutai -"  
"Wutai was given a choice. Sephiroth is a hero because of that," Aerith said back, her voice raising, in the first instance where Zack had heard her angry.

"Don't make me laugh!" Zack interrupted her again. "Wutai was given a choice? Maybe, but a piss poor one at that. 'Let us build mako reactors or else we'll take your land by force.' So the choice was they let Shinra walk all over them and build dangerous reactors?"

"Your experience is making you biased!" she said. "Not all generators blow up! Your case was a...a...freak accident! Mako reactors bring power to the world. Where would we be without them?"

"It's _killing _the Planet!" Zack said vehemently, his hand slicing at the air. "Can't you see it? Can't you feel it? Because _I can! _And how can you say I'm biased when you're defending a company that you work with? Of course you'd think they were great!"

"I'm not – I don't think they're great – I know they've made wrong choices, I know, but you're suggesting I just leave the only place I've called home, the only people who love and care about me! How can you blame me for defending my home?"

"More people than just Shinra care about you," Zack retorted, his anger fading as he watched her, red faced, eyes flashing, chest heaving. "I care about you." He dropped his gaze, unable to look at her anymore, shame burning in his chest. Maybe he _was_ biased. But it was her home. Her people. With a stab of guilt, he remembered the men on the mountain that he'd taken pleasure in beating up. Maybe those had been her people too, people she'd known.

She seemed to deflate at his words, and she let out a long, slow breath. "I care about you too, Zack."

"Then is it so wrong for me to want what's best for you?" he dared to ask, forcing himself to meet her eyes.

"You can't know that leaving Shinra is best for me, Zack. I can't – I just can't. I won't leave my family."

Zack clenched his jaw again, a feeling of bitter disappointment welling up inside him. He knew he'd run out of any logical reasons for her to stay. Because he knew in his heart that the time would come when the snow would melt from the mountain pass, and they'd go up the mountain to investigate the reactor, and then she'd be whisked away by Sephiroth and Shinra. If he had to admit it to himself, he was really angry because he wondered where he would be after she left. What would become of _them_, if there was really even a _them_ to contend with?

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry I brought it up. I have – I have to go home. My mom will be worried...and I don't want to get sick again..." he knew his excuses were feeble, but he had to get away from her. He couldn't look at her and think about how she'd be leaving soon, not with his heart almost bursting in his chest. He was in love with her. Somehow, inexplicably, he'd fallen in love with the enemy.

He walked away from her at a brisk pace, biting his bottom lip. The only thing he really wanted for his birthday, and he knew he'd never be able to keep it.

* * *

"You seem down, Zack," Cloud said, nudging Zack's leg with his foot. Tifa and Zack's mom were in the kitchen doing things only girls seemed to know how to do – in this instance, making delightfully moist and perfect birthday cake – while Zack and Cloud sat at the kitchen table, dutifully blowing up birthday balloons.

"I guess," Zack agreed noncommittally.

"What happened?"

Zack grunted in response.

"How eloquent," Cloud commented, smirking. "Come on, you can tell me."

"Aerith and I kind of got I a fight earlier. I bet she doesn't even want to come tonight," he said glumly, an aching, gnawing sensation eating away at his chest. Cissnei had been right. He hadn't meant to hurt Aerith, and he had. He could see the look in her eyes as he had loudly accused her of defending an evil corporation.

"Of course she will," Cloud assured him. "She'll want to give you your birthday gift, after all."  
"No she won't," Zack disagreed sourly, stubbornly refusing to be cheered up. "She probably hates me now. I'm a jerk."

Cloud sighed, raising a brow. "Sounds like a bad fight."

"It was."

"...and?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Zack grumbled.

"Fine. But she'll be here. She probably feels as bad about it as you do."

"...you think?" he asked, a bit of hope in his voice.

"Of course," Cloud said, patting Zack on the shoulder comfortingly. "She'll be here. Trust me."

"If you say so," Zack shrugged and sighed again. When the doorbell rang, though, he could hardly let himself believe it was her. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding when he saw her there, looking as perfect as ever, Cissnei standing behind her.

"You came!" he exclaimed, grinning, but befuddled. How could she not hate him?

"Of course I came," she said softly. "Did you think I wouldn't want to?"

"Yes," he admitted sheepishly.

"People get into fights, Zack," she told him gently. "That's part of relationships." His heart jumped sharply in his chest at her words. Relationships? Of course, friendships were relationships too...

"Are you going to invite us in or leave us standing out in the cold?" Cissnei asked him, and Zack jolted out of his reverie and stepped back, inviting them inside.

"Here," Cissnei said abruptly, shoving a small package into his hands.

"Oh, er, thanks," he replied uncertainly. He hadn't expected anything from her, to be honest.

"Aren't you going to open it?" she demanded, raising a brow coolly at him.

"I usually wait until after cake. Tradition," he shrugged, placing the present on the kitchen table. "Thank you, though. In advance," he added lamely.

"Right. I hope it will be of use to you," she told him briskly. He chuckled weakly, shaking his head at her manner.

"Loosen up a little. It is a party, after all," he pointed out.

"I am loose," she said, and she looked truly confused for a moment. "Can't you tell?"

"Ah. Yes. My mistake. You're completely loose. How silly of me to miss that."

"Your glibness does you little credit," she said, rolling her eyes. Next to her, Aerith giggled, and Zack grinned.

"Oh hi Aerith, good to see you, dear," Zack's mother said, peering from the kitchen.

"Hello, Mrs. Fair. Do you need any help in the kitchen?" she asked, clearly noticing the floury apron she wore.

"Oh, no, you're a guest dear..." his mother began to protest.

"Tifa's helping," Zack said. "She's a guest too, isn't she?"

"If you really want to help," his mother relented, shrugging her shoulders, smoothing back her graying hair. "Well, I won't deny help if it's freely given. We're just icing the cake now. Come along," she said, beckoning Aerith into the kitchen, who looked delighted to have the opportunity to ice a cake.

"She always did like baking," Cissnei said as Aerith disappeared out of sight. "She liked to make cookies for the soldiers. They loved it. In fact, I love them, too," she said with a wry smile.

"Soldiers eating sweets after a hard day of work," Zack said dryly.

"And enjoying the view," Cissnei chuckled, quirking her eyebrow suggestively. Zack groaned and covered his face. He did _not_ want to think about other guys checking Aerith out. It made his stomach clench unpleasantly. Suddenly, the lights flicked off, and he let out another groan, this time of embarrassment. They were going to sing to him! He couldn't help but smile, though, as his mom came into the room, the flames from the eighteen candles lighting up her face. He felt a stab of nostalgia, and a pang of sorrow as he remembered his dad. It made him wish his father were here to see him.

His mom sat the cake down in front of him, smiling sadly at him. "My little boy, all grown up, and here for another birthday."

Zack stared back up at his mom, smiling weakly. For the first time, it really hit him how much his mom had gone through. She had lost her husband, her lover; she'd almost lost her only son to his own stupid curiosity, and he and she both knew that he could die any day now. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be in her position, but he was overwhelmed with emotion. He stood up and hugged his mother tightly, towering over her.

"I love you, Mom," he said quietly, and she squeezed him back.

"Happy 18th, Zack," she said, and then she pulled away, wiping discreetly at her eyes. "Well," she sniffed. "Are we going to sing or what?"

Zack was aware that everyone had been watching them quietly, but he wasn't embarrassed that they'd seen that display of affection. He sat back down, smiling crookedly and ducking his head as they began to sing to him, eyes flickering up occasionally to catch Aerith's eye, who was singing softly, her pretty face lit up in a smile. Even Cissnei was singing, looking quietly amused.

"Blow out your candles and make a wish!" Tifa encouraged him once they finished the song. Zack paused, knowing full well what he wished for, then drew in a deep breath and exhaled through puckered lips, his face moving around to all the candles.

"Haha, you missed two, man," Cloud smirked as the lights flicked back on. "You've got two girlfriends," he jested, ribbing Zack amicably.

"What?" Aerith blinked, looking confused, and Zack felt his cheeks burn. She clearly didn't understand that Cloud was only joking.

"Oh, it's just a joke. Er, like, if you don't blow out all the candles, however many left still burning is how many girlfriends or boyfriends you have..." Zack trailed off. "He was kidding. I don't have any girlfriends."

"He's never even had one," his mom said, rubbing his hair in an affectionate sort of way.

"Mooom," he whinged, pulling his head out from under her hand. "Thanks a lot."

"Well, it's hardly your fault is it? No other girls besides Tifa here-"

"And she's mine," Cloud said possessively, grabbing her waist and pulling her toward him.

"Yeah, yeah," Zack waved his hand at Cloud. "Don't get your undies in a bunch, don't you think I know this? I got you two together, after all," he added with a smug smile.

"Yes, and we're forever grateful," Tifa rolled her eyes. "Now open your presents!" she told him, shoving the small pile of presents toward him.

"Do you hear this?" Zack asked, looking seriously at Aerith. "She's sooo bossy." Tifa hit him on the back of the head, and he grimaced. "And abusive," he added in a stage whisper.

She made to hit him again, but Cloud grabbed her hands and held them, smiling fondly. "Let the guy open his presents in peace, Tifa."

Zack opened the one from his mom first, unsurprised to find clothing inside. She had made him a nice, black hand-knit sweater, which he proceeded to pull on immediately. "Thanks, Mom," he said as she began to slice the cake. Underneath, he found two pairs of new socks – his mother insisted you could never have too many socks, especially in a cold place like Nibelheim – and a new winter hat. He'd never understand why mothers thought clothing made for a good birthday gift, but she continually told him he'd appreciate it when he moved out of the house. He supposed he'd just have to take her word for it.

He opened Cloud and Tifa's next, who had chipped in to buy him a new pair of sturdy boots. "Thanks!" he exclaimed. "I needed some new ones," he said, gesturing to his beat up pair, scuffed up and falling apart.

"We know," Cloud chuckled. "Those weren't cheap boots. You owe me on my birthday."

"You're already eternally grateful to me for bringing you and Tifa together, aren't you? What more could you need?" Zack grinned cheekily, ducking a swipe at his head. He moved onto his next present, the small package Cissnei had given him, opening it cautiously. What in the world would she have gotten him? A gun? A tiny bomb that would blow up as soon as he opened the present all the way?

As it turned out, it was neither of those things – it was a pair of leather gloves, and from the looks of it, rather expensive.

"Woah...where'd you get these?"

"I got them off the last man I killed," Cissnei shrugged nonchalantly. "They didn't fit me, so I thought you might like them."

Zack gaped at her, as did Cloud and Tifa, looking slightly disturbed.

"...I was kidding. I bought them. You'll understand why later," she laughed, and Zack chuckled weakly, exchanging looks with Cloud and Tifa. Cissnei definitely seemed a little crazy – or maybe they just didn't understand her brand of humor.

He reached for the last present, a slim package, which Zack presumed was another article of clothing.

"That's from me," Aerith said as he began to pull the wrapping paper off. He paused, grinning.

"I told you I didn't need anything."

"Just open it," she said, sounding half exasperated, half amused.

"As you wish," he conceded, ripping the paper off with enthusiasm. He stared in confusion at what was inside.

"What is it?" he asked, lifting up the straps. They looked like suspenders, quite frankly. "My pants stay up just fine," he said, observing the present.

"Zack, don't sound so ungrateful!" his mother scolded. Aerith only giggled, shaking her head.

"They're not suspenders. See this in the back? It's a magnet."

"Oh. That clears everything up," Zack said, raising a brow at her. "What exactly does this magnet do?"

Aerith exchanged a look with Tifa, and they both smiled mysteriously. Girls.

"Should we get it out now?" Aerith asked, and Tifa seemed to consider it for a moment, before her grin widened into a positively delighted smile. She nodded, and Aerith suddenly walked away and disappeared outside, returning briefly with something large and unwieldy in her hands.

"No..." Zack gasped, dropping the straps onto the table and standing up suddenly. He shot a sharp look to Tifa. "You didn't tell her...?"

"She wanted to know what to get you, so I showed her," Tifa shrugged, that smile still on her face. Next to her, Cloud a strange half smile, half look of longing on his face.

"But it had to have cost..." Zack trailed off, looking back to Aerith. "You make that much money?" he asked, not quite comprehending how rude it was to ask how much someone made. She shrugged modestly, still smiling.

"It was nothing,"

"Ha, maybe to you!" Zack said, hurrying forward to her. "I can't believe you bought the Buster Sword for me..." he said, holding his hands out reverently to the giant blade. It was perfection, wrapped in a bright red bow.

"Tifa told me how you'd go into the shop and look everyday. Besides, now we can train you in the art of swordplay and we'll have a way to make money once we become traveling hobos," she said with an amused laugh, her eyes glinting playfully.

"You shouldn't have," he said, even as he tested the weight of the blade in his hand. It felt like an extension of his own arm – nothing had ever felt more natural to him, it seemed. "It's wonderful," he gushed, grinning so broadly his cheeks hurt. "Thank you so much, Aerith."

"I'm glad you like it," she said, flushing and ducking her head shyly. His heart swelled in his chest as he watched her, and unable to help himself, he grabbed her in a one armed hug, her flowery scent wafting up to his nose at the sudden movement. She squeaked in surprise, but didn't pull away.

"Well, aren't you going to try on the suspenders now?" she asked, her voice light and teasing.

"Oh! I get it now!" Zack said, and he set the sword up against the wall, then hurried to pull the strap on over his sweater. The magnet was for his sword! With a satisfied fist pump, Zack swung his sword over his shoulder and it snapped into place with a click.

"You will not play with that thing in the house, young man," his mother said sternly, and he grinned.

"Yes ma'm," he said, sharing a knowing look with Cloud. They couldn't play ball in the house anymore either, ever since he and Cloud had broken her favorite vase when they were 13 and 14.

"So, did your wish come true, Zack?" Tifa asked him, and his eyes darted back over to Aerith. He shrugged, the grin still on his face.

"The night's not over yet."

* * *

The party had been nice, Aerith had to say. She'd never been to one so small, but maybe that was part of the allure. No one was left out of the conversations, and everything felt so...tight-knit, she supposed. Not for the first time did she wish her life was a little different.

Still, Zack had been quite pleased with his present. Several times during the night, he'd picked it up and weighed it, his eyes running over its features, a small smile on his face. There was a boyish pleasure in his face, and Aerith felt an absurd amount of satisfaction at having given him that. Perhaps that was fueled by the look of awe he'd send her way afterward.

Cissnei had gone home first, claiming she needed to get her sleep if she was going to stay on schedule, and disappeared back into the Inn. Aerith stayed, schedule be damned. She had been having too much fun eating cake and popcorn and letting herself be a normal girl for once. It was exhilarating.

Now, though, she was sitting outside, silently hoping Cloud and Tifa would leave soon so it would be just her and Zack. Despite their earlier fight – or maybe because of it – there was a kind of crackling tension in the air between them. At least, that's what she felt. She was sure he felt it too, though.

She sighed as she thought of their fight. She hated to see him look so disappointed, and to see the look of hurt on his face in the end, but what did he want her to do? He was determined to hate Shinra and everyone in it – it was like the only way he wanted to be around her was if she left Shinra, therefore making it acceptable to be with her. Her heart seemed to squeeze tighter when she thought this. She fervently hoped this wasn't true.

Aerith knew she couldn't blame him for being angry – he had the right. But it was frustrating to have him continue to be so biased, especially after all the time they'd spent together. He'd seen what she was like – what Cissnei was like. They were good people.

_I'm a good person,_ she thought, frowning slightly. She was jerked from her thoughts as the front door opened again and a laughing Cloud and Tifa stumbled out the door, Zack following them, their faces flushed with heat and laughter.

"Aerith!" Zack said, halting. "I thought you'd gone home already. What are you doing waiting out here in the cold?"

"Erm, well, goodnight, Zack. Happy Birthday," Tifa said, and Aerith sent a silent thanks to the girl as she began to tug Cloud away.

"Happy Birthday, Zack!" Cloud yelled as Tifa dragged him away.

"I was just waiting for you," Aerith said once the pair were out of sight.

"Oh?" Zack asked, raising a brow at her. "What for?"

"Oh...well..." Aerith trailed off, blushing. She couldn't tell him that she wanted to be alone with him, could she? "Did you have a good birthday?" she asked, changing the subject swiftly.

"It was great! I still can't believe you got me that sword...like. I really can't. I can't wrap my mind around it. I'm going to wake up tomorrow and it'll all have been a dream, or, or...I'll be dead, or something. Like, it just can't be real," he gushed, positively babbling.

"Don't say that," Aerith said softly.

"What, that it can't be real?"

"That you'll wake up dead," she told him sadly, frowning.

"Oh...sorry. I didn't really mean that. I was just...rambling."

She sighed, the warmth from her breath visible in the cold night air. "I'm glad you liked it, though," she said, letting herself smile again. "And...I'm sorry about the fight earlier..."

"No. Don't be. I was being a jerk. I-" he hesitated, rubbing the back of his head. "It was out of line. I just-" He stopped again, looking conflicted.

"What?" she asked, tilting her head to the side, looking up at him. He let out another sigh, and suddenly his hand was on her cheek. His fingers were cold from the air, and she almost pulled back in surprise, but she reigned in her physical reaction and stayed still.

"I'm just going to hate it when you leave."

Her heart rate rocketed as he leaned in, his other hand coming up to rest in the place where her neck met her jawline, his thumb brushing lightly against her cheek, and she was acutely aware of every nerve there, and the smoothness of his thumb. He was going to kiss her!

And he did. Aerith felt a swirl of emotions she couldn't name, and every single neuron in her brain seemed to be firing off, sending a thousand thoughts at once tumbling through her, and then they were banished as Zack's lips moved over hers, warm and incredibly soft, the smell that was uniquely _him_ infiltrating her senses. A content sigh slipped past her lips and she slid her hands up to the back of his neck, fingers coming to rest in the ends of his hair.

He was gentle, but insistent; the kiss was neither chaste nor passionate, a simple yet powerful declaration of his feelings. Aerith felt dizzy, nonetheless, and when he pulled away to look at her, she was glad her arms were wrapped around his neck, because she may have fallen over otherwise.

"Wow," she whispered, at a complete loss for words.

"Yeah," he nodded, his word containing the same breathlessness hers did. They were quiet again, and then, not knowing what else to do, she leaned up and captured his lips again, running her hand along the side of his face, feeling the bit of stubble that was growing there. This kiss was shorter, and when they pulled apart again, his eyes were positively glowing in the darkness, their intensity causing Aerith's heart to trip and stumble.

"I really like you, Aerith," Zack whispered, and she laughed then, giggling and shaking her head.

"I would hope so, after the way you just kissed me."

"Well," he shrugged bashfully, blushing. "I didn't hear any complaints, so I take it you don't mind?"

"No, not at all," she said. "I feel like I've been waiting this whole time for this moment."

"Yeah. I get the feeling," he nodded, then rested his forehead against hers, his arms wrapping around her waist. "Well...I see why Tifa and Cloud are always off kissing somewhere," he said with a mischievous grin.

Aerith had to agree. She couldn't say it would be like this with everyone, but with Zack, the feeling was already addictive. She wanted to kiss him again, and again; she never wanted to stop being able to kiss him. The thought made her tighten her grip on him reflexively.

"So, did you get your birthday wish yet?" she asked him, eyes searching his. He had a lazy look of contentment on his face, and the right side of his face quirked up as he smiled crookedly at her.

"I think it just came true," he said, his shoulders lifting and falling in a nonchalant shrug.

"Happy Birthday, Zack," she told him again, and then she leaned in for a repeat performance. Sleep could wait for a little bit.

**A/N: When did I become so lazy? I'm not sure, but I did, which is why I haven't updated in a grip. Somedays I would only write one or two words and then minimize the document again. So, sorry for the long wait. I hope the length of this one makes up for my absence. In the meantime, review and such. Let me know if I suck or not. (; Until next time, peeps. Oh, and I just made up Zack's birthday, since I've never seen it documented anywhere.  
**


	10. Truth

**Chapter 9 – Truth**

Much to Cloud and Tifa's amusement (and to Cissnei's slight disgust, mixed with exasperation), Zack and Aerith were nigh inseparable after his birthday. And when Zack wasn't with Aerith, he partook in a lot of sighing and moping and clock watching (his mother told him he was lovesick), and when Aerith wasn't with Zack, she spent most of her time quietly daydreaming with a ridiculous smile on her face.

Zack enured endless ribbing and taunting from Cloud, who had suffered much of the same treatment from Zack for several years. But all of Cloud's jokes and leering smiles seemed to bounce off him harmlessly, and he understood how Cloud had taken the good natured abuse. Being with Aerith buoyed him upward, above the jokes, and this new-found understanding just made Zack's affection for Cloud and Tifa swell exponentially.

Despite the teasing, Cloud and Tifa were grateful for the alone time, as Zack was now too preoccupied to play his game and "hunt" them.

Cissnei also seemed to be experiencing a slight dose of jealously. No doubt, she was happy for her best friend. But, aside from their time apart during missions, Cissnei had never really had to compete for Aerith's attention. Aerith had never been as interested in a boy as she was with Zack. Consequently, Aerith spent almost all of her time with Zack, and Cissnei spent a lot of time alone, and a lot of time wishing she was on a mission, instead of stuck in a dinky, godforsaken town.

Above all, Zack's mother was the happiest – next to Zack and Aerith, of course. Zack had to talk her down from the ensuing wedding plans.

"Mom," he interrupted her firmly when she began babbling about their wedding cake. "We just started dating."

"Mothers have an intuition about these things. I see the way you look at each other."

Zack kept the information that he loved her to himself, though. He wasn't even sure he could tell her.

On the night of his birthday, when he'd kissed her, he'd known she was meant for something bigger than hi, but that he had to help her get there. When he'd kissed her, he felt a familiarity that was not his own, that transcended his lifetime. It was the familiarity of knowing someone better than they knew themselves, of knowing exactly _who_ they were, and being connected over thousands of years. The voice in his head knew Aerith, and he felt a growing sense of urgency from it to get back to her.

The only way he knew how to cope with this urgency was to be with her, to be close to her. He was only too thrilled to find out she was willing to comply.

He was waiting for her with Cloud and Tifa out by the water tower, huddled together for warmth. He let out an impatient sigh, tilting his head back to stare at the overcast sky. It looked like snow.

"Give her a minute, Zack," Cloud said. "You _did _just see her last night."

"What? I'm fine. I'm waiting."

"You're squirming," Tifa laughed.

"I'm _cold_. I'm not currently occupying the same space as someone else," he said with a pointed look at the pair.

"You will be when Aerith gets here," Tifa crooned in a sing song voice.

"No. We do not stand that close together," Zack insisted.

"Lies," Cloud fake coughed and Zack stuck his tongue out at him.

"Are you picking on him again?" Aerith asked as she appeared, quite suddenly and silently.

"Of course," Cloud said with a pleased look on his face.

"Hey!" Zack exclaimed, irrationally excited to see her. He had to resist the urge to wrap his arms around her and prove Cloud right.

"Hi yourself," she replied sweetly and stood on her tiptoes to greet him with a peck on the mouth.

"Oooh," Cloud and Tifa chorused and Zack rolled his eyes.

"Real mature, guys."

"Payback_," _Tifa crowed brightly.

"You did tease them an awful lot, Zack," Aerith said.

"I see how it is," he said, pretending to be wounded. "You're taking their side!"

She giggled and covered her mouth with her hand.

"See, you can't even deny it!"

In response, she leaned into him, arms slipping around his waist.

"Are you mad?" she asked, a teasing note in her voice. She knew exactly what she was doing, and Zack knew she knew that he knew too. Wait. What did he know again? Somewhere in there, his thoughts had jumbled up.

"How am I supposed to stay mad at you? You're a master manipulator. Completely devious and conniving."

"...Yup!"

"Sounds like Zack's been reading the dictionary again," Cloud chortled.

"Let's go before Cloud wounds my pride anymore, shall we?" Zack asked, and Aerith pulled away slightly, taking her warmth with her. "Did I give you permission to let go?" he demanded softly.

"Zack," Aerith laughed airily. "How are we supposed to walk if I'm hugging you like that?"

"I'll show you," he exclaimed and promptly picked her up, eliciting a startled noise from Aerith, and he pulled her close again. "Now, put your feet on mine," he instructed, and she did as she was asked. "Hold on."

She wrapped her arms back around him and let out an abrupt laugh as he picked his feet up slowly, walking forward awkwardly to compensate for her body weight.

He came to an abrupt stop as a wet snowball hit him smack in the back of the head. Zack gently set Aerith down and bent over slowly, fingers grasping at his wet hair.

"Zack?" Aerith asked, a note of worry in her voice as he seemed to still, kneeling on the ground.

"You did _not_ just do that," Zack said loudly, and Cloud sniggered, revealing himself as the perpetrator of the crime. Zack stood up quite quickly and whipped around and let his own snowball fly, hitting Cloud wetly in the chest, a flurry of snow exploding up in his face.

"Hey!" Cloud shouted, and suddenly they were in a snowball fight, Cloud and Tifa launching snowballs and running backwards. Zack knew they were off to build a fort, as they had done this many a time. This time, though, he had backup.

"Come on," Zack laughed, gripping Aerith's wrist and tugging her the opposite direction.

"What are we doing?" she asked, half bewildered, half excited.

"We gotta build a fort," he panted, falling to his knees and pushing snow around and building it up. "Come on," he repeated, beckoning rapidly.

So Aerith dropped to her knees beside Zack, and he was glad she chose to wear something other than a dress today. Zack guessed that even with magic, sticking your knees into cold snow would still be cold.

"Okay," Zack said once they'd built up a suitable wall of snow. He quickly diverted his attention to packing snow together for ammunition.

"Weren't we going somewhere?" Aerith asked, sounding amused.

"Yes, but this is war," he said seriously. "You can't just turn your back on something like that."

She giggled again, mimicking his actions ad patting wet snow between her gloved hands.

"Yes, I do happen to be familiar with war."

"Of course. Which is why I'm glad to have you on my team. Not to mention, you're the loveliest teammate I've ever had."

Zack watched as Aerith's already reddened cheeks turned a darker shade, this time with heat, and couldn't stop himself as he leaned forward, the tips of their cold noses brushing, and the warmth of their breath mingling.

"What are you-?" Aerith began as Zack rubbed his nose against hers.

"Eskimo kiss," Zack chuckled, then leaned in to kiss her for real.

And then he was pelted again, this time on the side of his face, and Aerith got a face full of snow, too.

"There's no kissing in war!" Cloud declared, raising his fist triumphantly. Zack climbed over their snow wall and tackled Cloud into the snow, and a wrestling session ensued.

Zack was only partially aware of what was going on around him as he and Cloud rolled around.

"So, girls against boys?" he heard Tifa ask.

"Wait, what?" Zack spluttered, coming to a stop.

"Okay then," Aerith agreed, and the tables turned in a flash. Tifa and Aerith laughed loudly as they began to chuck snowballs at the boys.

"Betrayed!" Zack shouted dramatically and he and Cloud rolled to their feet.

"Alright, defensive maneuvers," Zack said to Cloud, who nodded shortly and they both crouched and darted out of the line of fire, ducking behind a snow pile.

"Oh, they want to play that way, do they?" Aerith asked. Strategy – that was something she could grasp.

"Follow me," Aerith said to Tifa, who let the last two snowballs fly before following her.

"They're retreating...?" Cloud asked.

"No...they're getting to higher ground where they'll have the advantage."

"Well...she was, er, is in SOLDIER," Cloud replied. "So, what should we do?"

"Sneak around and take them by surprise. Well, one of us. The other one's the decoy."

Cloud groaned. "I'm the decoy, aren't I?"

"Only if you want to be."

"...Fine. But you own me one, Mr. I-have-a-plan."

"Right. I'll bake you a cookie. Or would you prefer a big wet smooch?" Zack asked seriously.

"Just go!" Cloud said, shoving Zack away. I'll distract them."

* * *

"Cloud's coming up the hill," Tifa said. "We've got them."

"...Where's Zack?"

"Still behind the snow pile. I didn't see him leave..."

"No. They've got a plan. They think they've got us. Is there another way up this hill?"

"Yes, if you take the other path and follow it around."

"Then we're going to set up a surprise for Zack's not-so surprise attack."

"You have a deceptively conniving mind, Aerith."

"Looks are deceiving," she proclaimed brightly, smiling. "You deal with Cloud and I'll go get Zack."

And so Aerith crept along the hill, using a simple blizzard spell, slightly altered, to make snow to cover her footsteps. Then she hoisted herself up into the nearest tree and waited with watchful eyes. It was only a few minutes until Zack appeared, a dark figure against the bright snow. She smiled at his attempts to be sneaky. There was a certain lightness to his movements that suggested the potential was there, but his breathing was far too heavy, his footsteps too clumsy.

She waited until he passed the tree to drop back down with nary a sound. She followed him, matching his pace to mask the sound of her footsteps with the sound of his own, and increased her stride to cover the distance between them.

As he slowed, nearing the top of the hill, he bent over and began to form a snowball, clearly under the impression he was going to surprise them. Aerith bent over and copied his actions, creating a snowball herself. When he stood up again, she hurried behind him and shoved the snowball down the back of his shirt, grinning with mischief.

He let out a strangled yelp and turned suddenly, with all the reflexes of a SOLDIER, nearly catching Aerith off guard as he threw a punch. She stepped smoothly out of the way, but gaped at him in surprise.

"Shit!" he exclaimed. "Aerith, I'm sorry. You surprised me...I thought you were some monster sneaking up on me."

"I didn't know you could move like that," she stated, impressed. She guessed it was a side effect of the mako.

"Yeah, well...how'd you know I was coming?" he demanded.

"Please, I am a little skilled in strategy. And surprise attacks. And definitely expecting the unexpected."

"I should have known," he sighed. "Well, you got me," he shrugged. "Even though you have an unfair advantage, so it shouldn't count."

"All's fair in war," she pointed out.

"Ah, right," he said, sliding his arms around her waist. "In love, too."

"I thought there wasn't any kissing in war," she teased as he drew her in.

"Ha," he snorted. "As if Cloud and Tifa aren't making out right now. Besides, war's over. You got me. So kissing is definitely allowed again. Even for treacherous traitors," he added with a smirk.

"What can I say? I like to win," she laughed. This time, they weren't interrupted as they kissed. At least, not by Cloud or Tifa. As Zack kissed her gently, it began to snow. He pulled back as the snowflakes melted on his cheeks.

"I knew it was going to snow."

"Oh, you can be a meteorologist," Aerith grinned.

"I'd probably mess up," Zack laughed.

"No, it's okay. Weathermen get paid to make things up. It's okay for them to be completely wrong!"

"Right..." he nodded, trailing off.

"What?"

"Well...you know how you got me that sword?"

"Yes..." she said slowly, humoring him. Where was he going with this?

"Er, and you know how to use swords, right?"

"All SOLDIERS and Turks are trained to use multiple forms of weaponry," she stated professionally, without meaning to. It was something that had been drilled into her.

"Uhh, yeah. I was thinking – well, wondering really...if you would, um -"

"Train you? Teach you how to fight like SOLDIER?"

"Yeah," he said, looking relieved.

"All training programs created by Shinra and meant for SOLDIER personnel are strictly confidential and are not to be released to citizens," she spouted off automatically.

"Uhh..."

"I could teach you the basics, I suppose," Aerith relented.

His face, which had dropped glumly at first, suddenly lit up with excitement.

"Really? I mean, I've always wanted to learn..."

"Why not? What's the point in having a sword if you can't use it?"

"Exactly! Aerith, you are the best girlfriend I've ever had!"

"I'm the only girlfriend you've ever had," she laughed.

"Still the best," he shrugged, beaming. He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her affectionately.

"You're pretty great yourself," she sighed happily.

* * *

And so, even as the weather grew colder, and snowier, Aerith began to teach Zack how to use his blade. The mako coursing through him gave him the strength and speed he needed to wield it; he already had the raw natural ability of a swordsman. All he really needed was refinement.

"Relax," she instructed. "You can't react quickly if you're tensed up."

"Right," Zack breathed, letting himself loosen up. One of the first things she had taught him.

"Posture," she said, and he readjusted so his feet were aligned with his shoulders for better balance. "Keep your sword close to your body-"

"And don't stretch to block your opponent, I know," he said with a rueful grin.

"Mmmhmm," she smiled. She placed a hand on his back, the other on his chest. "Straighten your posture, chest and torso forward."

He followed her commands and allowed her hands to guide him into the correct stance.

"What should you do in every situation?" she quizzed.

"Assess the environment and terrain quickly and try to determine your opponent's weakness."

"Exactly. Then what?"

"Engage carefully, maintaining control and focus at all times."

"Right. What is your best defensive maneuver?"

"Sidestepping, or er, sliding."  
"Why sliding?"

"To keep your balance at all times," he answered, and Aerith smiled. He really was a quick learner, and he retained information well. He would have done well in SOLDIER.

"Okay, retrieve your sword."

Zack complied and she eyed him critically.

"Defensive posture," she told him, and he shifted so his sword ran from the bottom of his torso to the top of his head.

"Good. Now weapon at the ready."

He tilted his sword ever so slightly so that the tip pointed toward her throat. She stepped out of the way and moved closer to him, readjusting his elbows, pulling them closer to his body.

"Remember to extend your _sword_ toward your opponent, not your arms," she reminded him.

"Right," he nodded. "Otherwise my thrust and parry will suffer."

"That's correct," she said with a breathy laugh. "Now most sword fights are generally decided and ended with the first blow. So always be sure of your attack, because if you miss, your opponent will take advantage. You must also be aware of distance – distance is affected by sword length, fighting style, sword style, and your own height. Generally, though, with a shorter sword you'll want to decrease the distance between you and the other person, and well, vice versa for a longer sword."

"So, with the Buster Sword I should keep more distance?"

"Yes, it is a fairly long sword after all. You always want to be within striking distance."

"Got it," Zack said, letting his arms rest as she spoke.

"Also important is keeping your cool. You've heard the term, 'don't show your fear', I'm sure. Well its true. Showing nervousness or fear will lend confidence to your enemy. On the other hand, nonchalant warriors tend to make others wary or unsettled.

"Most importantly, though, is to find the flow of the battle and take control of it. This takes years of practice to master of course, but its something you should work toward nonetheless."

"Anything else I should know?"

"Counter attacks will save your life in a real battle. An mercy has no place in a duel, not if you want to live. Honor and chivalry are fine concepts, but sadly, the fighter who is most willing to be merciless is generally the last one standing."  
Zack didn't respond, but his eyes narrowed slightly. Finally, he spoke. "No mercy. A policy Shinra follows strictly, I suspect." His voice was quiet, but she could hear the edge in it. She didn't want to fight with him though, so she refrained from commenting.

"Don't get cocky, even if your opponent is weaker," she continued. "Look for opportunities and take advantage of them. Know your limits and capabilities, as well as those of your sword, not to mention those of your enemy's sword. And conserve your energy – don't waste time with fancy flourishes," she told him.

"Aww, but flourishes are the fun part," he whined, pouting. She smiled again.

"They're a sure sign of an amateur."

"Fun sucker," he said, sticking his tongue out at her.

"Pick up your sword again," she said, and he obeyed once more. "Every part of your sword is a weapon, from the top to the pommel. Your surroundings are weapons. Use whatever you can to win."

"Like throwing dirt in their eyes?" he asked skeptically.

"Yes, if that's what it takes. Use what you've got," she repeated.

"If you say so."

"I do. Now, your blade is good for blocking, but why exert extra energy when you can just move? An opponent can't hurt you if you're not there. So again, sidestepping is your friend. You can also sidestep and push away their sword to open them up for a counter attack. When defending yourself, if its enough to move only your wrist, move only your wrist. If you need more, move your elbow, then your shoulder – if none of this works, retreat."

"What, just run away?"

"If you are alone and cannot defend yourself, running is better than dying."

"Unless you get stabbed in the back while running away."

"Hush," she scolded him lightly, giving him a push, but his feet were planted firmly on the ground, aligned with his shoulders. He didn't budge.

"Good posture," she complimented.

"I've got a great teacher," he shrugged.

"Anyway, I said retreat, not turn your back on them. This is NEVER a good idea. Let me continue. Your sword is meant for two hands. Keep your arms flexed at the elbows, but not stiff, with your dominant fist right...here," she said, shifting his hand in front of his solar plexus. "...keeping it right under the sword guard and the other here..." again, she moved his hand. "...right above the pommel. Your sword will act as a lever. Use your dominant hand to lend force and the other hand to guide your blade."

"Can I jump?"

"Can you change direction in midair?"

"Er, no..."

"Then no. Keep your feet on the ground."

"How about the swordspin with one hand?"

"More likely you'll lose your hand – or your head," she chuckled. "Besides, it's useless."

"But it looks cool."

"I'm teaching you how to survive, not how to look cool."

"You don't think I'm cool?" he pouted sadly.

"You're very handsome," she reassured.

"Handsome and cool are not the same."

"Very well – you're cool, too," she conceded, giggling as he flexed his muscles happily.

"So, do I know everything there is to know now?"

"Not even close," she said, and he sagged to the ground.

"You've overloaded my brain with information and that's not everything? Figures."

"I'm only giving you tips and basics," she laughed. "What did you expect?"

"Well, I dreamed of becoming a sword fighting master by the end of the day," he said teasingly.

"Ah. Then we'll have to spar and see how well you've retained what I've taught you."

"If you say so. You're the boss."

So they sparred, Zack with his sword in hand, Aerith with her metal staff. He seemed to understand instinctively that combo attacks were better than single blows, and flowed smoothly between offensive and defense without cues from her. His reflexes were as quick and sharp as she'd seen from SOLDIERS at Shinra, and most importantly, he moved and made every blow count, focusing on accuracy as opposed to brute force, a common mistake among many new recruits.

He didn't cross his feet when he moved, or his arms, allowing him complete balance and freedom to attack and parry easily. Zack was an instinctive fighter, and had picked the basics up quickly. He wouldn't win in a fight against any 1st Class SOLDIERS any time soon, but he was certainly capable of holding his own in a fight with an average or above average swordsman.

Aerith held up her hand, signaling him to stop.

"Time to practice something else, I think," she told him with a mischievous grin.

"What?" he asked innocently, and she smirked, stepping closer and placing a hand on his sword to lower it. "What?" he repeated, looking confused. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, admiring the flush look on his face, a mixture of exertion and cold air from practicing outdoors.

"Oh," he said as realization dawned on him. "That's what you want to practice."

"Well, I've had it drilled into me that practice makes perfect," she told him seriously.

"Of course," he agreed, and leaned down to kiss her, his sword dropping to the ground with a dull thud as his arms wrapped around her torso.

She pulled away only slightly, her lips brushing his as she spoke in a mumble.

"You'll need to clean that sword when we're done."

"Slave driver," he teased, but any retort was lost as he deepened the kiss. He really was getting quite skilled, she though. Then again, maybe it was natural talent.

* * *

As Christmas drew nearer, Zack grew more rambunctious.

"I'm still a kid at heart," he said.

Aerith, however, began to grow a little homesick. She loved being with Zack and Cloud and Tifa, but she missed Tseng and Sephiroth, and all the rest of her family back at home. She missed the city, lit up with Christmas lights, and the sound of carolers walking along the bustling streets. She was grateful that Cissnei was with her, though.

"Do you think Reno is flirting with the secretaries?"

"Yes, he always tries to get them under the mistletoes," Cissnei laughed.

"And poor Rude has to endure it," Aerith sighed fondly. "I wonder how Tseng and Sephiroth are doing. I've hardly heard anything from them at all."

"I'm sure they're fine, keeping busy and all."

"Yeah. I didn't realize that I would miss them all so much though. I can't wait to see everyone again."

"...What about Zack?" Cissnei asked hesitantly, fingering her hair.

"I don't know. He probably can't leave, can he? Natural mako pools are rare, its not like we have one just lying in wait in Midgar."

"You can't stay forever, either," Cissnei pointed out.

"I know," she groaned, covering her face. "What should I do?"

"How should I know?" I don't have a hunky boyfriend dying from an unknown disease."

"Could you please not say that?"

"It's true, whether you want to admit it or not."

"I just think it's insensitive to talk about it."

"Zack's not even here!"

"Well, it's still insensitive to me. I'm his girlfriend. I happen to care if he dies or not."

"Oooh, touchy," Cissnei sighed. "Sorry. It just seems like a hopelessly tragic situation."

"Well, thanks for the optimism, Cissnei. Your support is overwhelming," Aerith said dryly.

"You know me," Cissnei smiled. "Look, maybe something will happen and the decision will be made for you," she shrugged.

"That doesn't really happen," Aerith told Cissnei. She would have never guessed how wrong she'd be.

The sound of the helicopter interrupted the day's training.

"Is that a Shinra chopper?" Zack asked Aerith, squinting up at the sky.

"I...I think so," Aerith said, excitement rising in her voice. "Maybe Tseng and Sephiroth have come to visit me for Christmas!" she said, her voice almost a squeal as she took off after the helicopter.

"Oh joy," Zack muttered, but Aerith was too far off to hear him. He followed her rather reluctantly, attaching his sword onto his back before jogging after her. She was surprisingly swift and he had to work a little to keep up with her.

The helicopter had landed by the time they reached it, though snow was still swirling around wildly as the blades slowed. Inside, though, Sephiroth was visible, and Aerith beamed, waving frantically at him.

"He's here, Zack! And Tseng, too! They came! Isn't this fantastic?"

"Yeah, it's great," he said, unable to keep the trepidation from his voice. But she was clinging onto his arm and babbling away happily.

Sephiroth stepped out of the helicopter and it hardly took a genius to see he was angry.

"You get away from her," he demanded, his pale, green eyes narrowed in dislike. This wasn't the calm, cool SOLDIER from their first meeting. "Aerith, get away from him right now."

"Seph-? What's going on?" she looked confused, and all Zack could do was glare back at the man defiantly.

"Did you hear me?" Sephiroth asked, his voice low and dangerous, but Zack didn't move. A flicker of impatience appeared in the SOLDIER's eyes, and then his sword was drawn, pointed straight at Zack's throat, the long blade glinting in the bleak sunlight.

"Shit!" Zack cursed and jerked back, getting out of the sword's range.

"Sephiroth!" Aerith shouted indignantly, stepping toward him. The pilot of the chopper exited next, and she turned to him, brows furrowed. "Tseng, what's going on? Why is Sephiroth threatening Zack?"

"Because he is responsible for our injured men. He is the reason we were sent up here, Aerith," Sephiroth said icily, eyes never leaving Zack.

Zack's heart rate doubled. They'd found out. They knew he'd attacked their employees up on the mountain. How?

"What?" Aerith asked, frozen in place. "Sephiroth, how could you accuse him of something like that?"

"I suspect he's also responsible for the anti-Shinra group we heard about up here. It makes sense, doesn't it? He made it perfectly clear he didn't like us when we got her."

"No! You have no proof!" she shot back, and Zack swallowed heavily, his heart hammering in his chest. She was going to hate him...

"You should see this, Aerith," the man called Tseng said, and he beckoned her over to a laptop he had opened. "Video footage we retrieved. One camera was active up on the mountain and we capture this."

_Ah. A camera, of course,_ Zack thought, his heart plummeting. There would be no getting out of this. And Cloud and Tifa, he'd dragged them into this, too.

Tseng clicked play and Zack watched from a distance as his figure punished defenseless men, alone. That had been the time he'd gone by himself. Cloud and Tifa were off the hook. He felt a mixture of relief and revulsion. He'd never been so ashamed of himself, and he could barely look Aerith in the eye as she turned to face him, astonishment written on her face. Shame prickled hotly over his skin, and regret sat heavily on his heart, weighing him down.

"Zack...I don't understand. Tell me this is a mistake. Tell me it's not true, please. If you were really part of an anti-Shinra group, you wouldn't have...we..." she trailed off, shaking her head in denial.

"...Aerith...I- I'm sorry," he said, and her eyes filled with tears. "But you know what Shinra did to me. I realize now what I did wasn't right. Those men didn't deserve it. I've changed though, really -" he took a step forward, only to have Sephiroth's blade pressed into the flesh of his neck, a bead of blood appearing where his skin was pricked.

"Stay back," Sephiroth warned, and Zack was aware that Tseng had taken out his gun. Zack's gaze shifted between the two men, then back to Aerith, pleading.

"Please, Aerith. I love you." Zack held his breath. It was her move.

* * *

His words rang in her ears. She felt strangely disjointed and disconnected, hardly able to believe that Zack – her Zack! - was responsible. _He_ was the enemy. Her enemy. She had never felt so conflicted in her life. Everything in her screamed at her that she and Zack were meant to be together, not ripped apart.

She could see in his eyes the remorse, the silent plea for help. _It's me or them_, his look seemed to say. Shinra was her family, though. And those men on the mountain hadn't deserved to be attacked. They'd only been doing their job.

A sick thought twisted through her. If Zack really was part of an anti-Shinra group – one Cloud and Tifa would surely be a part of, or at least aware of – maybe he'd been tricking her all along, trying to get closer to her to destabilize Shinra.

_No,_ she thought firmly. Zack wasn't like that, no matter what his views on Shinra were. She realized everyone was waiting on her, and she blinked rapidly, brushing away the wetness in her eyes.

"Zack...you know I cannot choose between you and my family..."

It was a terrible moment to watch the hopeful light in his eyes go out, like a light bulb burning out, and to see the way his shoulders slumped, like a puppet cut from its strings. More chilling, though, was to see him stand straight again, his face a mask of neutrality, his blue eyes as cold and indifferent as ice.

"Then you've made your choice. You choose them. I understand," he said stiffly, stepping back, blood trickling from his neck. He reached back for his sword, and fear coursed through her. He was going to fight! Sephiroth would surely kill him. She couldn't bear the thought.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, then stepped forward, drawing on her magic. A distraction arrived in the form of Cloud, Tifa, and Cissnei, all running toward them at top speed.

"What's going on?" Cloud demanded, panting heavily. "What are they doing here?"

"Tseng?" Cissnei asked crisply.

"We are here to arrest one Mr. Zack Fair for the unprovoked attack on Shinra employees earlier this year," Tseng replied. Cissnei nodded curtly, taking everything in stride.

"What?" Tifa gasped, and Cloud surged forward.

"He didn't do it alone!" Cloud exclaimed.

"Yes I did," Zack said tersely, hand on his sword. "In any case, they're about to arrest me for attacking another Shinra employee," he told them flatly, then drew his blade in one swift movement and attacked Sephiroth. But Zack was no match, not even with his recent training, and Sephiroth sidestepped with ease, contempt written in every line on his face.

"No!" Aerith shouted along with Cloud and Tifa, and Sephiroth faltered, meeting her eyes with confusion. Zack went to counter, and Aerith reacted the only way she knew how. He froze Zack with a well cast blizzard spell.

"You betrayed him!" Cloud snarled, lunging.

"Restrain him," Tseng told Cissnei, who grabbed Cloud's wrists neatly and jerked them behind his back.

"Let him go!" Tifa shouted, but Sephiroth stepped in front of her, effectively stopping her in her tracks.

"He loved you!" Cloud gasped out, struggling against Cissnei, who had a vice-like grip on his wrists. Aerith flinched at his use of past tense, but knew in her heart that Zack could not love her after this. He may have omitted the truth from her, but she had betrayed him on a far more personal level.

"I know," she admitted, gazing sadly at Zack's frozen form, his sword raised almost comically above him.

"Put them to sleep, Aerith," Sephiroth ordered dispassionately, and she nodded miserably. With a snap of her fingers, both Cloud and Tifa slumped onto the ground, fast asleep.

"Should we arrest them as well?" Cissnei asked, all business. She seemed to disregard any time she had spent with the two, laughing, as though friends would.

"They've done nothing wrong," Aerith replied, her voice flat as she struggled against her emotions. "Leave them."

When Zack's body had been thawed, his sword removed from his possession, and his hands tied behind his back, they'd loaded him onto the chopper. This happened without protest from Zack, whose jaw remained clenched, his lips tightly pressed together, almost white from the effort. As they flew away, Aerith glanced down at the still forms of Cloud and Tifa and released the sleeping spell. They would wake in a few moments, perfectly fine.

_Perfectly fine, except you just arrested their best friend,_ she reminded herself. At least they wouldn't freeze to death in the cold, though. She glanced back at Zack, who was shivering, the chill from her blizzard spell lingering.

"Here," she said, leaning over with a blanket. She tucked it around him, and he remained stiff and quite, refusing to look her in the eye. "You wouldn't want to catch hypothermia," she added feebly. There, his eyes snapped up to meet hers, a hard, ugly look in them.

"Why does it matter?" he asked, his voice low, cold, dripping with unrestrained venom. "I'm dying one way or the other."

She flinched visibly, as if he had slapped her across the face, and she quickly put distance between them, unable to look at his face. He was right. Taking him from Nibelheim was a death sentence – one she had just personally signed off on, in a sense. Without the mako pool, he would drain and eventually die – that is, if he wasn't sentenced to death before then. Shinra dealt harshly with their enemies.

She bit her lip to keep from crying out. Aerith felt sick – sick to her stomach and sick at heart. She was going home for Christmas, and she'd never been more miserable.

She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the cool window glass, praying when she opened her eyes again, she'd wake up to find all of this a terrible nightmare.

** A/N: Weird. I updated quickly. Not as long as the last one, but a lot of stuff happened in this chapter. We're back to the action. Not sure how many more chapters there'll be. Things always change up on me while I'm writing. Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed, and I'd love to get some more feedback on this chapter. Hope you enjoy suspense, haha. **


	11. Prison

**Chapter 10 – Prison**

When Cloud woke, it took him several long moments to figure out why he was lying face down in the snow. He heard soft groans next to him, and it came rushing back to him. Zack! Cloud pushed himself off the ground abruptly, gasping. Next to him, Tifa rolled over, groaning again.

"Are you okay?" Cloud asked, helping her up. She seemed a bit unsteady on her feet, but nodded. "Zack!" Cloud shouted, squinting into the brightness. "Zack!" he repeated, a feeling of desperation threatening to overwhelm him.

"He's gone," Tifa said quietly and he turned to her. Her face was pale and sad, and he didn't want to believe her, but knew it was true. Zack wouldn't play games with them, not now.

"They took him," he whispered hoarsely, his eyes burning. "Aerith – she betrayed him, betrayed us. I can't believe we _trusted_ _her!_" he shouted again, fists clenched at his sides.

"Cloud," Tifa began gently, stepping toward him. "Calm down..."

"How can I calm down? She took him from us after all those promises to help him. We convinced him she wasn't so bad, but it turns out he was right all along. She's the enemy!"

"We wouldn't have known, Cloud. She...honestly, I think she was taken by surprise."

"You're defending her?" Cloud gasped incredulously.

"Of course not. I'm just saying...I don't think she was here to trick us. She just made her choice clear. She's picked the other side."

"...Zack. He attacked Sephiroth. Do you think he's still alive?" Cloud asked lowly, panic swelling in him.

"There's no blood in the snow. I think they stopped him..."

"Then they've taken him prisoner."

Tifa gazed at him sadly, then nodded reluctantly. "Probably."

Cloud swallowed thickly, his brain momentarily frozen. What was he supposed to do? Another wave of helplessness crashed over him. _What would Zack do?_

"He would save us..." he murmured, and he felt Tifa wrap her arms around him. He drew comfort from her touch, and his resolve strengthened. "I have to tell his mom what happened."

"Do you...would you like me to come with?" she asked him, her face buried in the crook of his neck, lips brushing against his skin.

"No. I'll do it alone," he whispered, and she pulled away, tears in her eyes.

"Zack will be okay. He's strong."

"As long as the mako lasts," he sighed, hugging Tifa close. For a fleeting moment, he expected Zack to burst between them, laughing, eyes shining brightly. But of course, he didn't.

With a resigned sort of sigh, he pulled out of Tifa's embrace. "I'll go tell her now."

He felt her eyes upon him as he walked to Zack's house, guilt and dread making his steps leaden. What was he going to tell her? More guilt plagued him. Zack was gone and his mother was all alone. How was he supposed to face her?

_You've got no choice, Cloud._ He scolded himself. Who else would tell her? Cloud felt partly responsible, anyway. Maybe if he'd been less trusting, more wary, more watchful...He shook his head firmly, trying to banish his thoughts, but they continued to fester all the way to Zack's front door. He hesitated, then he knocked, holding his breath.

It took an achingly long minute for Zack's mother to answer the door, and Cloud wondered briefly if she wasn't home. But then she answered, a confused expression on her face.

"Cloud? Why're you knocking, you know you can let yourself in...Zack's not here right now..." she trailed off as she regarded him.

"I know he's not home, Mrs. Fair."

"Cloud, dear...something's happened, hasn't it?"

"Maybe we should go inside and you can sit down," he told her gently, heart hammering in his throat. He prayed she wouldn't hate him after he told her everything.

* * *

He sat at the worn kitchen table, unsure of what he should do. He'd never seen Mrs. Fair cry before, but now she was sobbing openly.

"My poor Zack," she moaned, wiping her red eyes and sniffling.

"I'm so sorry," Cloud whispered hoarsely, hiding his face behind his palms. He couldn't look at her. He felt ashamed. "I tried to stop them -" he choked. Mrs. Fair let out a weak, watery laugh, wringing a tissue between her fingers.

"You're a brave boy, Cloud. But Zack was very foolish and hard headed – he always has been. What he has done is undoubtedly wrong, and he should face the consequences. And in normal circumstances, maybe I would be angrier..." she hiccuped then, a lost expression on her face. "Oh Zack, why do you always get yourself into trouble?" she moaned, and then began to cry again, a terrible, keening wail wrenching from her throat.

Cloud stood abruptly, then awkwardly hugged Mrs. Fair, acutely uncomfortable. The door burst open quite suddenly and Cloud jumped, tensing. Had Shinra come back for them as well? Surely they'd figured out his involvement with Zack – Tifa's too.

But it wasn't Shinra, only Tifa, carrying two large, full looking packs. Cloud slumped in relief, and was glad when Tifa took over comforting Zack's mom.

"There, there," Tifa crooned, arms wrapping around the inconsolable woman. "Don't cry, Mrs. Fair, we're going to get him back. We won't let him die in that stinking city."

Mrs. Fair looked up quickly, shaking her head. "Don't be foolish, Tifa. You and Cloud can't go after him. He's been arrested for goodness sakes. Do you expect Shinra to just let him go?"

So that's what the bags were for, Cloud realized. His heart swelled with love for the girl in front of him. Of course they wouldn't leave Zack to his fate.

"We'll think of something," Cloud said, slipping up next to Tifa. We can't just leave him."

"Cloud, Tifa," Mrs. Fair began weakly, but Cloud held up his hand to stop her.

"Zack would come after us. I know he would. How can we possibly NOT go after him?"

Mrs. Fair sniffled again, then stood up. Cloud blinked, not realizing how he'd grown lately. They were eye to eye now, and she looked hard at him. Zack's eyes. And the same, determined expression, Cloud noted. For a moment, Cloud could picture Zack's mother, much younger, and just as carefree and wild.

She cupped his cheek tenderly, the hard look in her eyes gone, and smiled warmly. "Zack has wonderful friends. I know I can't stop you – it seems some of Zack's hardheadedness has rubbed off on you two. But at least let me pack you some food and give you some money for the trip. It's a long road to Midgar."

* * *

The trip to Midgar hadn't taken long in a helicopter. Two days at most, but only because they stopped in Junon to refuel. Zack kept his mouth shut the whole time, painfully aware of his proximity to Aerith. He ignored her attempts to talk to him, although after he'd snapped at her the first time, she'd kept her distance a little, only glancing at him warily.

They fed him, and he ate as well as they did, although he would only muster a few bites before his stomach churned. Sephiroth glared at him the whole way, and Tseng seemed entirely indifferent. Cissnei had fallen into a very professional mode, and barely spared him a glance.

He didn't care. He felt numb and sick simultaneously. Why had he told her that he loved her? Why hadn't she answered? _She chose,_ he reminded himself. _Isn't her answer clear? She doesn't feel the same way._

The voice in his head was quiet, for once. Like, maybe even it was shocked by the turn of events. His only beacon of relief was that Cloud and Tifa were okay. He hadn't asked, but Aerith had told him as he'd stared stonily out the window, as though she could read his thoughts. Or maybe she'd just read his worried expression.

Shinra was an impressive looking building, he had to admit. It had clearly been built to intimidate. To him, it seemed to give off a menacing, evil aura. How could Aerith live here? How could she choose _this_ over him?

Sephiroth had led him to a small, sparse cell, a wickedly tight grip on his arm the entire way, but Zack refused to wince. He was shoved unceremoniously into the cell and the door whooshed closed, leaving him in the pitch dark. He flopped onto his firm, uncomfortable bed, and stared into the darkness as his eyes adjusted. He wondered how long it would take for him to die.

* * *

Aerith was lectured severely when she returned to Shinra, and then pun on probation for consorting with the enemy. Her! Put on probation!

Normally, she might have been angry, may have fought back. But she accepted her punishment. Maybe she felt a little like she deserved it, though not for the reasons Shinra thought she did. She was temporarily suspended from all missions and required to stay in the Shinra HQ at nearly all times. It was, she reflected, like Shinra was an angry parent, and she a naughty child being grounded. She even had a curfew!

She didn't resist thought. She only left the HQ to visit the old run down church in the slums, admiring the flowers that grew there. Several had wilted and died in her absence, but she did her best to tend them back to life. When she was back at home, she was painfully aware that Zack was in a cell in the very same building. She wasn't forbidden from seeing him, strangely enough, but found that she lacked the courage to face him anyway.

She spent most of her time in the SOLDIER training room, staring listlessly at the sword they'd confiscated from Zack. His birthday seemed like such a long time ago.

This was how Sephiroth and Cissnei found her two weeks after Zack's arrest.

"Aerith?" Sephiroth's deep, calm voice rang through the training room, but she didn't respond.

"Aerith," Cissnei tried, and Aerith tilted her head to indicate she was listening.

"I know you're upset, Aerith," Sephiroth began, and she turned to him, eyes shifting between him and Cissnei. Her best friend had a slightly guilty look on her face, and comprehension dawned on Aerith. Cissnei must have explained the situation to Seph.

"You understand correctly, then," she said slowly.

"You'll move on. It was merely a...distraction. He lied to you and attacked innocent men. He deserves his punishment."

Aerith stared at the man she'd always regarded as her older brother, a bit of resentment rising up inside of her. _She'd move on? Zack was just a...distraction?_ Zack's voice rang in her head then.

_He killed all those innocent people in Wutai..._

"You've killed innocent people before. Aren't we all responsible for the deaths of people?" she asked, eyes locked on his. Sephiroth's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed again.

"I don't know what you've been discussing with this Zack fellow, but you know we were only doing our job." Sephiroth didn't sound very convinced though. It seemed more like he was trying to reassure himself than her.

"We didn't talk about Shinra much," she confessed, hugging her knees to her chest. "Fought about it...no, he just opened my eyes a little."

Sephiroth sighed, then sat down next to her, one hand coming up to rest on her shoulder. "I'll agree, Shinra isn't always right, but this time...he deserves to be imprisoned for his crimes."

Aerith stared blankly at the floor, her mouth dry. Of course, Sephiroth couldn't know Zack's story, how he'd been wronged by Shinra already. But it also wasn't her place to tell.

"Right," she mumbled, for a lack of anything better to say.

"And like I said," he continued, clapping her shoulder firmly. "He was merely a distraction. You'll move on soon, and you'll be back to work in no time." Then he stood, giving her a long concerned look, then left the room. Cissnei stayed behind, shifting nervously from foot to foot.

"Aerith...I'm sorry things turned out this way for you. For both of you."

Aerith made a non-committal noise in response.

"I know he meant a lot to you...but maybe he had ulterior motives the whole time. I know it's a terrible thing to say, but..."

"I understand," Aerith spoke up, a sad smile on her face. Cissnei was a Turk. She was made to think in terms of betrayal and intrigue. "But I don't think he'd do that."

"...You think he meant it when he said he loved you?" Aerith stalled, breath hitching. Tseng...or maybe Sephiroth...one of them must have told her Zack had said that. Perhaps even to confirm her relationship with Zack. Those three small words had haunted her ever since, especially in her dreams. Had he meant it? Or had it been a means to get her to choose him over her family? Did he say it because he thought she wanted to hear it? She supposed it didn't matter, not anymore.

"Aerith?"

"I don't know," she snapped, sounding more irritated than she'd meant to. "Does it even matter now?"

"...it does. To you," Cissnei said quietly, then turned and left after Sephiroth. Aerith scowled at the empty space in front of her. Cissnei was right – it did matter to her.

* * *

Zack started to lose track of the days. He was fed through a slot three times a day, measly meals consisting of stale water and leftover food. He barely ate. What was the point? Zack felt broken. He'd given up. He waited for the sickness to take over, and he could feel it growing stronger every time he opened his eyes again. Each second brought him closer to death.

His dreams became strange. He wondered if they were putting some sort of drug into his food or water. Visions of people he'd never met, but felt connected to, swam through his head. One word repeated in his mind like a mantra: Cetra. He didn't know what it meant, but it felt old. Maybe he was losing his mind, he reasoned.

"Shower time," a guard grunted from the doorway, and Zack squinted into the bright hallway. Zack stumbled along, legs weak from sickness and lack of use.

This was his fifth showering. He was fairly certain he showered every week. So maybe he'd been prisoner for...over a month. He wasn't sure. He could barely think, his mind was so thick with fog.

"Cetra..." he mumbled, lips slurring his words so they were barely discernible.

"Eh? You don't look so good," the guard said, his face hidden behind his helmet. Zack realized his guard was wearing a purple suit. What kind of color was purple for a guard? "Hey, you okay?"

"Cetra..." Zack mumbled again.

"Er, that your name, bud?"

"Mmm...Zack." His voice was raspy and dry from lack of use.

"Well Zack, let's get you cleaned up. Maybe you'll feel better afterward."

"Why...why're you...nice to me?" Zack asked haltingly.

The guard shrugged. "You seem okay, that's all. My name is Kunsel."

"...hey."

"You don't look good."

"...Dying," Zack laughed weakly.

"You're sick? You don't look old enough to die."

Zack didn't get the opportunity to answer though. Another guard appeared, a scowl apparent even on his helmeted face.

"Hey, don't talk to the prisoners."

"Yes, sir!" Kunsel shouted. "Sorry, Zack," Kunsel whispered, and then the other guard escorted Zack to the showers.

By the time Zack was back in his cell, he couldn't remember the purple-suited guard named Kunsel. His head was occupied by the Cetra mantra and visions of a girl he had once loved.

* * *

"You've been moping around for weeks," Tseng said to Aerith, standing tall next to her, looking serious and grim in his meticulously pressed suit.

"Oh?" Aerith commented, trying to sound lighthearted and nonchalant.

"Is this about that prisoner from December?"

"Zack. His name is Zack."

"Right. Is this about him?"

"Tseng...I can't stop thinking about him. I can't stop worrying. I can't stop feeling guilty. I took him. From his friends, his mother..."

"Aerith, _we_ took him..."

"They trusted me. He... he said he loved me."

"...and did you love him?"

Aerith halted, staring into Tseng's warm brown eyes. Tseng, who was like a father to her, in a way.

"He wanted me to choose between him and my family. I couldn't."

"You didn't answer me, Aerith," He said sternly. She quailed under his firm gaze.

"I...yes, I think so. I believe I loved him. If I didn't, I could have. He made me feel..."

"Special?" Tseng asked kindly, and Aerith smiled softly, shaking her head so her brown curls brushed her cheeks.

"No. He made me feel normal. I've always been special. Aerith, 1st Class Mage, Turk, secret weapon of Shinra. With Zack, I was just a girl, just Aerith. He taught me to sled and how to have snowball fights and he showed me a Nibelheim sunrise...I was just Aerith, normal Aerith..." she broke off, unable to continue with her tears strangling her words.

"Shh, shh, shh," Tseng hushed her, wrapping his arms around her, and she collapsed into his embrace. "It's okay."

"It isn't!" she insisted shrilly, sobbing. "I betrayed him!"

"You did your duty."

"Z-Zack _hates_ Shinra. All I've done is given him more reason to!" Tseng rubbed her back soothingly, trying to calm her. "I p-promised to help him, an-and..." she shuddered, burying her face into his chest. She knew she was probably ruining his suit, but he didn't pull away. She couldn't continue, though. She couldn't think about Zack dying. "Oh Tseng, I love him," she moaned, her voice muffled by his jacket.

"I know you do," he replied simply. "I admire you for picking family over boys, but...given different circumstances, there's a good chance we wouldn't be your family at all."

"What do you mean?" Aerith sniffled, withdrawing slightly from Tseng's grip.

"I found you when you were seven," he began hesitantly.

"I know," Aerith nodded. "You saved me."

"Aerith...I found you because I was sent to look for you. Shinra was looking for you and your mother to begin with, to return you to Professor Hojo. When I saw you that day, I changed my mind. I wouldn't let that vile man touch you again, and Director Lazard agreed with me."

Aerith stepped back sharply, her hearing going a bit fuzzy as her heartbeat accelerated and pulsed in her head.

"Why...why were you looking for me? Why did Professor Hojo want us?" Aerith knew Professor Hojo only through word of mouth, and his reputation as a slightly mad scientist. She'd never met him personally at Shinra HQ. But here Tseng was, telling her Hojo knew her all along.

"Aerith, you're right to say you're special. You and your mother...well, your mother for certain, she was an Ancient. A being with the ability to converse with the Planet, to bring us the Promised Land. President Shinra hoped you would be an Ancient as well, but it soon became apparent you had no connection to the Planet. We raised you as our own, made you what you are. But you see, if you had been an Ancient, you probably would have been as much as prisoner as Zack is now," he said, his voice sad. "She was the last of her race."

Aerith's mind raced. Bits and pieces of the night her mother died were rushing back to her.

"He...he killed her," she whispered, licking her dry lips. "I remember a train. We came from somewhere...cold."

"Yes. Your mother escaped with you."

"You were sent to retrieve me." Regret flashed in his eyes.

"Yes, I was.'

Aerith took another step back, body tingling at the sudden revelations. The voice she used to hear...had that been the Planet? Had she been the last Ancient, but lost the ability somehow? What had happened to that voice?

_Zack hears a voice..._she told herself. After his accident. A mako explosion. Mako, energy from the Planet, the life source. Her thoughts raced. What if the Planet had chosen a new host? What if it had chosen Zack? Why, though, had it left her?

"Aerith? Please, I know it was wrong. But...we really did come to care for you. I know it's a lot to take in, but I hope you forgive me."

"Tseng...I just..." she ran her fingers through her bangs nervously, mind still buzzing. "I need time to think. I have to...go..."

Aerith ran.

* * *

"Oh yeah, that Zack guy is in here, Miss Aerith," Kunsel said, and she saw a hint of a blush on his cheeks, creeping out from under his visor.

"Thank you, Kunsel," she said politely, even though her body was thrumming with nervous energy. "You can go – I can take care of myself."

"R-right, Miss Aerith, of course," he stumbled over his words, the flush increasing on his face, and then he fumbled away, running straight into a wall, then sliding along it until he disappeared from view behind the corner.

Perhaps she had overdone the magic, but she'd learned long ago that a small dose of her magic often helped her to persuade people to do what she wanted. Of course, everyone reacted differently, and it probably didn't help that he'd had a small crush on her for a long time.

She banished Kunsel from her thoughts and focused on opening the door, her fingers shaking as they pressed into the keypad. The door slid open in what Aerith considered far too slow a manner, and her heart sped as she laid eyes on Zack for the first time in months. His usually cheerful eyes were dull and red rimmed, his hair limp and brittle. His skin seemed to have lost all color, and her heart came to a stop as she realized he was very sick indeed. He hadn't had mako for nearly a month and a half. She was almost surprised that he was still alive.

"Zack," she uttered his name, her voice squeaking. He lifted his head, trembling with the effort.

"Must you haunt my dreams always, green-eyed girl?" he asked her seriously. "I don't even know your name, but your face is so familiar. I think my memory is failing, girl. Even in my dreams."

"Oh Zack...it's me, Aerith."

"I...used to know someone by that name, girl. I think I loved her. You have the same eyes, did you know? I haven't seen her in a long time..."

Aerith bit her lip to keep from crying. Zack was quite delusional, obviously, probably delirious with fever.

"Hey," he whispered huskily. "I'm dying. Can you tell? Cetra, the voice says. Cetra, Cetra, Cetra. I don't know what it means though. What does it mean? That damned voice will plague me to my death, and so will you."

Aerith remembered with a start why she'd come.

"Zack, the voice you hear, is it the Planet? I need to know. It's...very important to me."

He stared at her for a long time, eyebrows scrunching together like he was trying to remember something. Then his eyes unfocused and he started to mutter again.

"Aerith...Cetra, Cetra, Cetra, Cetra..."

"Zack!" she cried out, reaching toward him.

"No!" he shrieked hysterically. "I'm sick, green-eyed girl. Don't you know mako is poisonous? My friend, that girl that I loved, she's going to cure me. After that you can touch me. But I'm waiting for her, okay? She's going to help...I'm sick," he repeated. Then he closed his eyes, clearly exhausted from his outburst, and paler than ever.

"...Zack?"

No answer. But his chest still rose and fell, however sickly his lungs sounded. He was asleep. She placed a hand on his burning forehead, and she willed her magic through him, praying it would buy him some more time.

"Hold on, Zack. Please, hold on."

"Aerith," he sighed in his sleep, and for the first time since she'd come to see him, he sounded content. Then, "Cetra...Cetra...Cetra..."

Aerith left him, anguish eating at her heart and curiosity burning in her mind. What did 'Cetra' mean?

* * *

When Zack woke again, he felt...different. A little better, maybe. Not enough that he wanted to move, but enough that he was aware of himself and his surroundings. Surely it couldn't be much longer – every blink drained his energy, consuming his last reserves, every breath he drew in costing him.

The flap on his door opened quickly, shining bright, artificial light onto the cell wall, then shut again, the room returning to darkness. Food.

_ Smells good,_ he thought. He couldn't move though. His limbs refused to obey him. He supposed it hardly mattered. Food or no food...death was on its way.

Zack closed his eyes, wondering if they'd open again.

* * *

"Cissnei, I need your help with something."

"What is it...Aerith, are you okay? You look unwell."

"I...a lot has happened in a few minutes. Some revelations, to say the least. But more importantly, Zack's sick. Really sick. He...he didn't even recognize me, Cissnei."

"You visited him?" Cissnei's thin red eyebrows shot up, disappearing behind her bangs. "When?"

"Just now. Tseng told me something and...I had to figure something out. And I think Zack holds the answer."

"Are you sure, or are you just looking for an excuse to talk to him?"

"Of course not. I could have visited him a hundred times before now, but I've always lacked the courage."

"You, lack the courage?" Cissnei sounded disbelieving.

Aerith stared at the ground, the cool grey floor giving her no answers to the questions in her mind. It struck her how sterile Shinra was, especially compared to Zack's home. "I couldn't face him," Aerith confessed. "I was scared, after what I did to him. I didn't – I couldn't stand to see the anger and disappointment in his eyes when he looked at me. In any case, I don't think he would have talked to me."

Cissnei sidled up next to her, slipping an arm around Aerith's shoulders. "Aerith...I'm sorry. I know you care about him still. And...it must hurt an awful lot that he doesn't recognize you now. But, what made you change your mind about seeing him?"

"Tseng told me something about my past..." Aerith trailed off, almost hesitant to continue. But Cissnei was her best friend. Surely, if she'd known beforehand, Cissnei would have told her. "Tseng said he was sent to find me when I was a child. He was supposed to recapture me...and my mother."

"But she died, did she not? Tseng found you alone." A confused expression darkened her features. "Aerith, why was he sent after you both?"

"He told me my mother and I escaped from Hojo – that my mother was the last of the Ancients, and I was supposed to be one as well. But I never showed the signs."

"That Ancients? There aren't very many files on the Ancients, at least that I've seen. But what does this have to do with Zack?"

Aerith took a deep breath, wriggling out of Cissnei's hold on her. "Everyone thought I showed no signs of being an Ancient. But I think they were wrong. When I was little, I used to hear a voice in my head. When it told me that my mother was dead, I didn't want to listen to it anymore. I resented the voice. I shut it out. And one day, it was just gone. Zack though, he told me about a voice in his head...what if they're the same voice?"

"So you went to ask him," Cissnei stated. It wasn't a question, merely an affirmation that she was following along.

"Exactly. I need to know if its the same, if that voice is supposed to be the Planet. Why did it leave me? Is Zack an Ancient? I have so many questions...I need to found out who...or _what_ I am."

"But...Zack doesn't know, does he?"

"He might. He's delirious, though. He kept calling me 'green-eyed girl' and muttering the word 'Cetra', whatever that means."

Cissnei was suddenly gripping her arm tightly. "Aerith, Cetra is what the Ancients called themselves."

Aerith felt the air whoosh out of her, as surely as if she had been punched in the gut. Her heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline racing once again.

"You see? He's connected somehow. Maybe he has the answers I need. We have to save him."

"How do you propose we do that?" Cissnei asked, and Aerith had to smile. She had worried that Cissnei might refuse her plea for help, but she should have had more faith in her friend. Aerith reached across and grasped the younger girls' gloved hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you..." then, "First, we have to find Sephiroth. Come on." She tugged her friend out into the hallway.

They were both blissfully unaware of the man who had caught enough of the conversation to be interested in this 'Zack' character. He stepped out from the shadows and smoothed down his pristine, white lab coat and straightened his glasses. This prisoner was certainly someone worth investigating.

* * *

"We made it, Cloud," Tifa said, staring at the great wall surrounding Midgar. The city loomed above them, ominous and foreboding.

"Yeah. Finally," he replied, giving her a one armed hug, the other gripped the strap to his pack. It had taken them roughly two months to get to Midgar. Zack's mom had been right – it was a long trip, especially since most of it had been on foot.

It had been dangerous, too, but she and Cloud knew enough about fighting to deal with the smaller monsters. They avoided the more dangerous ones as best the could.

They ended up using nearly all their money on boat ride across the continents to reach Midgar, and things had slowed from there. She and Cloud had had to catch their own food or scrounge up what edible plants and fruits they could find. On more than one occasion, Cloud had gotten food poisoning, slowing them down further.

But every time, he recovered and pushed on, determined to make it, even though she knew he was worried. She was worried, too. Two months was a long time – would Zack even be alive still? It was a concern neither of them voiced, because they refused to let it be true. They would save their best friend. He wouldn't be dead.

"We made it," she repeated, not quite able to believe it after everything they'd gone through. They were dirty and tired and hungry, but Midgar was in front of them, proof they could overcome the odds. The idea bolstered her, gave her strength.

Cloud tilted his head back and inhaled deeply, then grimaced. "Smells...dirty," he said. He was right, too. The air was much more polluted here than in Nibelheim. In fact, the air seemed to be a bit thick; smoggy, perhaps.

"I smell...food," Tifa said as she sniffed, and her stomach growled loudly. She would kill for some hot, ready made food.

"We've got a little money, still," Cloud said, pulling a handful of gil out of his pocket. "And I bet the food's cheap down in the slums," he told her optimistic grin on his face.

Tifa wanted to protest. It was the last of their gil, and she didn't want to delay their search for Zack any longer. Her stomach disagreed with her. It grumbled again, and she swayed a little.

"Maybe there are some people who can help us find Zack," she said, mostly to reassure herself that stopping to eat something would be okay.

"Right," Cloud agreed, adjusting his pack. "No point in charging in without a plan. Bars are always a good spot for information," he rambled on. He was nervous, she could tell. Tifa stopped him, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward her.

"Hey," she greeted quietly, and he responded by looking politely puzzled. "It will be okay. We've made it this far, haven't we?"

His shoulders slumped and he took a deep breath, then sighed heavily. "Yeah. We did." His shoulders straightened again and he looked straight at her, the determined look back in his eyes. "Thank you. For coming with me, I mean," he said.

"Of course," she replied. Momentarily, she wondered how her father and Cloud's mother had dealt with their absence, especially during Christmas. She had left her father a note, explaining the situation, having known full well he'd never let her go otherwise. Cloud's mother had been more understanding and wished them well, just like Zack's mother had. "I couldn't let you go alone. I would have missed you too much, silly," she murmured and stood on her toes to kiss him quickly. When had he gotten so tall, she wondered?

"I would have missed you, too," he replied in soft tones, returning the kiss gently before pulling back, his face mixed with seriousness and adoration. "We should go in, yeah? I can hear your stomach growling," he teased with a light smile, poking her stomach.

"Hush," she chided, slapping his hand away without any real force. He let his laughter die away and grabbed a hold of her hand.

"Stay close, please? You never know what might happen." He was being overprotective, and they were both perfectly aware that she could take care of herself, but she had no intention of straying from his side. The sight of the grey city made her nervous, and even though she could probably fight better than Cloud, he made her feel safe. She squeezed his hand in response, and they walked through the outer gates into the city, passing a large '7' printed boldly on the door.

Once inside, the air became rather oppressive and rank, and the sunlight all but disappeared, great heavy plates hiding the slums from the city above.

"How does anyone live here?" Tifa asked, choking back a gag as the stench of garbage assaulted her senses.

"Maybe they don't have any choice. I can't believe Shinra lets people live like this," he added sadly, features drawn as he viewed the rubbish and rubble around them.

"It's terrible," Tifa agreed.

It took some time to navigate the narrow dirt paths the slums were comprised of. It seemed like the slums were composed mainly of junk, towering next to precariously built homes. After getting lost several times, running into five dead ends along the way, Cloud and Tifa practically stumbled into a bar, their stomachs protesting loudly in their hunger.

The smell of hot food was absolutely heavenly in Tifa's opinion. Maybe Cloud agreed, because he was inhaling deeply, and his stomach gurgled again. They sat down at the bar and a chubby looking man waddled over to them.

"Hey, you kids even old enough to drink?" he asked seriously.

"What? We just want something to eat -" Cloud protested. The man started to laugh heartily.

"The look on your face. You think we really care? No one checks IDs in the slums, kid. What can I get you?"

"Biggs, you harrassin' customers again? Get away from the bar, you idiot!"

A very large, black bearded man rounded on the jollier one, then turned to them, sighing. "He doesn't even work here, damnit."

"We uhhh..." Cloud managed to get out before the man glared darkly at him.

"Hey, Spike, you in SOLDIER or something? You got the nerve to come in here?" The man was suddenly holding a gun to Cloud's face and he jerked back with a surprised yelp.

"Wait, wait, no! I'm not in SOLDIER!"

"He's not, really, sir, please!" Tifa pleaded.

"You got mako eyes, Spike, don't lie!" the man growled between bared teeth, the veins in his neck bulging dangerously. Tifa thought he might have an aneurism.

"No, I swear!" Cloud yelled, falling right off his chair.

"No, please, listen," Tifa continued, trying to lower the gun. She realized with a start the gun was attached to his arm, and stared, the words leaving her at the strange sight.

"Like this?" The man demanded angrily. "A little present from Shinra. Or because of them, really."

"I-I'm sorry. But please, Cloud isn't SOLDIER. We're from Nibelheim. We've got natural mako pools up there, ad he had an accident once. He got mako poisoning and his eyes have glowed ever since," she explained hurriedly, praying that he would believe her.

He stared suspiciously. "And what's your story, girly?"

"Cloud and I came to Midgar to save our friend. Shinra arrested him."

"Yeah, our friend, Zack. He, uh, doesn't like Shinra either," he said. "Neither do we," he added quickly, clearly hoping to alleviate the situation.

Time slowed and stretched as Tifa and Cloud waited with bated breaths for the man's reply. Then, thankfully, he lowered his arm (and gun) and helped Cloud up with his only hand, lifting him up smartly.

"Sorry there, Spike. Can't be too careful down here."

"My name's Cloud," he said a bit mulishly, trying to flatten down his hair.

"And what's your name, sweetheart?" Barret asked gruffly.

"I'm Tifa. Um, thank you for not shooting us."

"Amazing, since Barret here is more the 'shoot first, ask questions later' kind of guy," another man quipped, and Barret clipped him on the ear.

"Shut it, Wedge," he growled. "Anyway, uh, you two here for something?"

"Food," Tifa put in, then flushed in embarrassment. "But more importantly, for information about our friend."

"Well," Barret gestured at the bar. "How 'bout we get some food in those bellies and you can tell us the situation here. Maybe we can help."

* * *

Aerith and Cissnei found Sephiroth nose deep in files, a slight scowl on his face. It looked like he was trying to burn a hole into the paper before him with the intensity of his stare.

"Seph, I need your help," Aerith blurted, not particularly interested in what he was reading. With every second, her awareness that Zack had less time to live grew more pronounced. It was a rising panic in her chest, and she had to keep pushing it down firmly.

"Aerith? What's going on?" he asked, dropping the files onto the desk with a flop.

"Tell me, do you know where I can find files on the Cetra?"

"Why are you interested in the Ancients, Aerith? They're an extinct race -"

"Please, humor me, Seph?" she begged, preforming her renown puppy dog eyes. He sighed in defeat.

"Very well. Information on the Cetra...let's pull up the files on the database here..." Sephiroth's fingers fairly flew over the keys, clicking away efficiently. He paused, then _hmmed_, typed away again, then leaned back in his chair, brow furrowed, his thin eyebrows angled sharply.

"All the Cetra files are currently being stored away in the Nibelheim Mansion for safety purposes."

Aerith almost began laughing hysterically. Everything was connected. Destiny was calling out to her.

"How'd you discover that if it's confidential information?"

"I did a little hacking. I'm more than just brute strength, you know," Sephiroth said, sounding a little amused.

"Well the, I guess we're going back to Nibelheim," Aerith announced, clapping her hands together.

"Aerith, you're on probation, in case you've forgotten," he reminded her.

"Which is why you're coming with me. Surely they can't refuse the two top SOLDIERS?"

"What about Zack?" Cissnei asked. "Are you taking him too?" Aerith hesitated, biting her lip. She came to a quick decision.

"I can't. Taking him – freeing him – will surely be seen as an act of treason to Shinra. I'd never be able to find my answers that way. No, Sephiroth and I will go to the Mansion and investigate. Can you stay here and keep an eye on him?"

"What if he starts to really die?"

"I gave him a shot of magic, he should hold," Aerith said, though not very confidently. "Just keep him alive however you can. Inject him with mako if you have to."  
Sephiroth had been silent through this exchange, but a confused expression marred his usually calculating features.

"What is this? What does Zack have to do with anything?"

"He has everything to do with it, Seph. Everything to do with _me_. Please, I'll explain on the way, let's just go. Get the helicopter!"

"This had better be really good, Aerith," Sephiroth groaned, then sped swiftly out the door to go prepare their transportation.

"I'll be back soon," Aerith promised Cissnei.

"Okay. I will call you if anything goes awry."

"Thank you," Aerith whispered seriously. She threw her arms around her friend, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. "Keep him alive for me."  
Cissnei nodded gravely as Aerith pulled away, and they shared a look as their eyes connected. They both realized how feeble the string of hope they were clinging to was – it was stretched thing, ready to snap at any moment.

But neither spoke a word of their concerns or doubts.

There was no need to.

There was no time to.

* * *

Their bellies full of food, Cloud and Tifa now found themselves exhausted and their eyes heavy with want for sleep.

"You two really came all the way from Nibelheim on foot?" Barret asked after they had finished their tale.

"Mostly," Cloud shrugged.

"And you came to save your pal from Shinra? You kids got guts, I'll give you that," he said, scratching at his beard.

"He wouldn't do any less for us," Cloud said; next to him, Tifa nodded in agreement, then yawned widely.

"Sorry," she apologized, wiping tears from her eyes.

"We're just ex-exhaust-" Cloud yawned too, his mouth stretching open. "Tired," he finished, sniffing.

"You kids deserve a rest. I tell you what, you can stay here for the night, then we'll see what we can do about your little problem."

"What can you do?" Tifa wondered, her eyebrows drawn together in puzzlement. Cloud silently agreed with her sentiment – what could a bar tender do for them, armed or not?

"Well, shit kids, this heap of a bar is more than it looks. Shit, I mean, this place is the hideout for AVALANCHE. You know, the -"

"You're AVALANCHE?" Cloud blurted, suddenly wide awake. "Seriously?"

"Damn straight, Spike." Cloud frowned. Barret seemed determined to call him 'Spike'.

"Then you _can_ help us get Zack back. I mean, that's what you do, isn't it? Strike back at Shinra?"

"Sure do, kid. But we're a bit short on help."

"We'll be helping," Cloud said.

"Yeah, of course, we wouldn't ask you to do it alone," Tifa agreed.

"We're not rushing into Shinra. Are you crazy? You have to prove you're up to the task first," Barret grunted.

"We don't have times for games or tests," Cloud said, his voice rising with his temper.

"Cloud," Tifa interrupted gently, placing a hand on his arm. "Calm down..."

He took a deep breath, clamping his jaw shut and grabbing at his hair.

"That's right, listen to yer girly, there," Barret chuckled. "If you want AVALANCHE's help, you'll do any damn tests we feel like putting you through. Now, follow me if you want to get some shut eye."

Feeling it was useless to argue any more, they followed him silently. When they reached the room, Barret hesitated. "Er, We only got one room. You two, eh, aren't gonna..." Barret trailed off, obviously embarrassed.

"What?" Tifa questioned, and Cloud blushed as Barret's bushy eyebrows shot up and his meaning became clear.

"Well, I got a little girl in the next room, see, and I don't need her scarred for life cause you two-"

"NO!" Cloud practically yelped, then cleared his throat to cover his girlish cry. "We'll be sleeping. That's all. Fast asleep."

"Cloud, what...? Oh." And Tifa blushed too as she finally caught on. "Not that it's any of your business, but Cloud and I don't..."

"You're right," Barret held his hand up quickly. "It's your personal life. How 'bout we keep it that way?" He walked away before he could hear any more on the subject.

"I'll take the floor, then?" Cloud asked as they entered the small room. There wasn't much room, but there was a bed, at least, and a small drawer with a lamp sitting on top.

"Cloud, you don't have to be so noble. After all, we slept next to each other on the way here," she pointed out, flopping on the bed. "This could be the most uncomfortable bed in the world, and I couldn't care right now. It feels wonderful after the ground we slept on," she added with a contented moan.

Cloud's cheeks burned. He didn't really know why, but sharing a bed with Tifa was much different than sharing the same patch of cold hard ground. She noticed his hesitation and she sat up on her elbows and patted the bed.

"Come on. I know you'll be a perfect gentleman."

"Er," he managed to say, and she smiled.

"Or are you worried I'll misbehave?" she asked slyly, and Cloud's heart reacted accordingly by nearly flying from his chest. He wondered if his face would melt off if he blushed any more.

Tifa giggled and pushed off the bed, reaching over and grabbing his hands, pulling him toward her.

"Your virtue is safe with me, Cloud. But you're so cute when you blush, you know."

"You're...evil," he croaked, then laughed. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. I trust you."

Cloud sprawled out on the bed, kicking off his shoes and folding his arms behind his head.

"Scoot over," Tifa laughed and he made room for her. She curled up next to him, resting her head on his chest and sighing. He wrapped one arm around her shoulder, brushing her hair back from her face with his other hand.

"Sweet dreams, Tifa."

She wriggled closer to him, eyes closed already. "Goodnight, Cloud," she mumbled. He smiled faintly and let his eyes droop as sweet sleep overcame him.

* * *

Zack woke slowly. What day was it? Was it even daytime? He couldn't tell – the dark room was unchanged. He could barely remember where he was.

The door hissed open, and Zack was blinded by light. He squeezed his eyes shut.

"Cetra," he gasped out I response.

"You shall be a most interesting test subject, Mr. Fair."

Suddenly, Zack was being picked up roughly. He tried to stand, but his legs refused to obey. Instead, the rough hands gripped him tighter and his feet dragged uselessly as he was escorted out of his cell. He let his head slump forward – not that he had the strength to hold it up anyway – but it helped keep the light out of his overly sensitive eyes. The voice in his head was practically screaming, and his stomach roiled unpleasantly.

_Please let me die_, he thought.

"No, Mr. Fair, you won't be dying...not yet."

Could this man read minds? Or maybe Zack had said some of what he'd been thinking. That seemed likely.

His head throbbed painfully, and Zack fought down the urge to vomit. The next thing he knew, his head was being jerked up, and he blinked blearily, groaning.

"Yes, I see. Mako exposure. How interesting. You appear to be quite ill, Mr. Fair. I've never seen mako poisoning quite this severe. Yes, yes, a most interesting subject indeed."

The man with glasses and black hair faded in and out of his vision. Zack dimly registered a white coat.

_Doctor,_ Zack thought. _Is he here to cure me?_ Zack felt a needle prick in his arm, and then a curious sensation shot up to his shoulder. Then, it began to burn like fire and he hissed in pain and surprise. His world grew dizzy, and the voice in his head more and more distant.

Everything went black.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter broke from the norm a bit and we got to see things from Cloud and Tifa's perspective. Actually, there's quite a bit of jumping around with POV's, but that's how this chapter needed to be. It was a nice change of pace, I think. I'll most likely revisit them next chapter as well. We'll have to see how it plans out, I suppose. Meanwhile, Zack's dying (isn't he always? That seems to be a theme with me. Poor Zack!) and Aerith and Seph are running off to discover some truths. Until next time. Oh, and you should leave a review. Thanks ;)**


	12. Ready, Set, Action!

**Chapter 11 - Action**

The basement to Nibelheim Mansion's basement was creepier than ever to Aerith, and she'd been in plenty of creepy places before. Maybe it was the lingering memory of what had happened to Zack there that made her jumpy. The feeble light probably didn't help either, the light bulb's flickering casting strange shadows and making her skin crawl as she thought of what might be hiding in them. Even though she and Sephiroth were perfectly capable of handling themselves should anything attack them, she still couldn't help feeling jumpy.

"Calm down, Aerith," Sephiroth said, one slim eyebrow raised. "You're almost making me nervous."

"I'm sorry," Aerith replied, rubbing her arms to try and comfort herself. "This place just has a bad feeling to it, don't you think?"

"I think you're letting your prior experiences here affect you," Sephiroth replied calmly. Aerith shrugged and hummed noncommittally. He was probably right, but she didn't want to admit it. She was supposed to be professional. Still, the memories of that day flashed through her mind. The heart-arresting moment when the monster had dropped down on Zack's back. The unexplained moment where he had healed himself.

Again, her thoughts returned to all the questions swirling around in her head. Zack was a mystery to her, and somehow he was connected to her. She knew without a doubt that he held the key to figuring herself out. She worried that their trip would prove unfruitful, though, and that she would have killed Zack. The entire trip to Nibelheim consisted of her sitting quietly, troubled. She felt regret and grief and horribly selfish for leaving Zack at Shinra, dying, just so she could get answers for herself. She should have taken him out of there. She should have saved him.

_ I will save him. I'll go back, and I'll get him out of there._

"Aerith?"

She shook her head, realizing that Sephiroth had been calling her name for several minutes. "Sorry. What?"

"Which door?"

Aerith looked straight ahead at the door, the one they had never walked through because Zack had been attacked. "There wasn't anything interesting behind the other doors -" _A lie. There's that sleeping man. But he isn't important now. There isn't time._ "- and we never made it through that one."

"Let's go, then." Sephiroth didn't have any reservations about striding to the door and opening it. Aerith held her breath without realizing it as the door creaked open loudly, tired and rusted from being shut so long. Aerith wasn't sure what she had expected when she walked into the room – perhaps a sign with all the answers on it. Naturally, there wasn't, because nothing was ever that easy. It was a miniature library, she surmised, from the number of shelves filled with books. A thick layer of dust covered all of the books, and was especially noticeable on the one table in the center of the room. The light in the room was about as good as the light in the rest of the basement – in other words, not particularly good at all. It was weak, but Aerith could see motes of dust swirling now that they had disturbed the air. Just watching the dust circle around made her nose itch.

"Well...I guess we should get started," Sephiroth said, and Aerith felt her heart sinking. There were _so many_ books to go through! At least though, she thought, she had someone with her to help slog through them.

It proved to be dull work, rifling through pages upon pages of mostly scientific logs. Quite a few of the logs were so full of technical and scientific jargon that Aerith couldn't make head or tail of them. Consequently, she tossed the books to the side and plowed into the next one on the shelf.

While Aerith was scanning the books, Sephiroth appeared to be quite absorbed in them, the crack of pages as he turned them slowly contrasting with the frantic swish of paper from Aerith. As he read, his frown became more pronounced, his brow furrowing into a glare.

"These books – Hojo made these."

"Professor Hojo? What are they?" Aerith asked, dropping the book she was currently holding – an overly superfluous book describing the pros and cons of mako energy. Honestly, she'd had enough of it to really care. It didn't hold the cure the Zack's problem, that much was for sure. The author had spent many pages contradicting himself, making it utterly useless to her.

"Detailed descriptions of his experiments, it seems," Sephiroth declared with a grimace. "He really is a sick bastard," he said flatly, snapping the book shut.

Aerith's face fell and she sighed, reaching for a new book. It was going to take longer than she thought.

"Seph!" Aerith said, her voice sounding oddly loud in the stillness. She hadn't meant to sound so surprised, but she was shocked to see Sephiroth's name on the page in front of her. She'd picked the book up, preparing herself for another dull skim, and nearly missed his name.

"Hmm?" Sephiroth didn't look up, absorbed in another book.

"Your name is in this book," she said, handing the book over to him. He frowned, dropping his book onto the desk he was leaning up against and taking the other book from her.

"What?" He stared at his name on the page, appearing, for a moment, mesmerized by the sight of it. Then with a quick flick of his fingers, he flipped the pages backward, starting at the heading of the journal. Aerith skirted up next to him as to read the journal with him.

_**Damn that Vincent Valentine! All of the Turks are interfering, but he is the worst, undoubtedly. He dared to come and question me? What is it to him if Lucrecia is sick? It is in the name of science. The woman is of little consequence to me – it is the child that matters!**_

_** Valentine objected of course. The fool, he must be in love with her. Even I can see that. **_

_** What I have done, I have done for the Jenova Project. I will not be stopped.**_

_** In the meantime, Vincent Valentine will certainly be an interesting...experiment.**_

Sephiroth flipped to the next page, his frown growing deeper. "Jenova..." he muttered, looking highly disturbed.

_**I always considered Professor Gast a fool. He's disappeared, for who knows what reason. It is no matter to me though – I have been successful in creating a child with Jenova's cells. The woman died – a pity. She was a good host for the child, and her body did not fully reject Jenova's cells. Still, her sickness made her weak. If this birth hadn't killed her, surely another would have. But we must rejoice! A new Cetra is born! With this child, we shall be led to the Promised Land. **_

_** His name is Sephiroth.**_

_** Further research will be conducted – Shinra hopes to make an army of Cetra. Imagine, a horde of super-powered beings at our command, all due to my own brilliance.**_

Sephiroth suddenly slammed the book shut, gripping the spine tightly in hand.

"Seph...Cetra. This Jenova is a Cetra? An Ancient?" Aerith asked shakily, a nervous sort of excitement filling her. And the Promised Land – the words rang in her ears, and she strained her memory. It was like a long forgotten place, echoing in her dreams. Another part of her was repulsed – only Hojo, demented and mad, could perform such cruel acts on another human being. Sephiroth's mother was made sick, and had died.

"I'm...sorry about your mother," Aerith said, placing her hand on his arm. Sephiroth shook his head, pulling away.

"My mother is Jenova. They told me so. Not that woman. You read what Hojo wrote. Jenova's cells, injected into a fetus. Me. Jenova made me what I am. I...I am a Cetra too."

His eyes met hers, and he looked more amazed than she had ever seen him. She laughed a little. "Then that really makes you my brother, I guess?" she asked, grinning. He snorted.

"I have been, regardless of blood, Aerith."  
"Of course," she agreed, her grin broadening to a smile. "But it's a lead, Sephiroth. Jenova is a Cetra, just like me. Just like you," she added with a shrug. "We have to find out more about her."

Sephiroth gazed shrewdly around the room. "I'm willing to bet that more of these books contain the information we need."

"Aw," Aerith groaned. "More reading."

"More reading," Sephiroth agreed. In Aerith's growing excitement, she pushed the thought of Zack to the back of her mind. If she tried to focus on both problems at once, she'd end up with shoddy results for both. She needed to concentrate.

_And maybe the answers to my past will lead to the answers to Zack's cure,_ she tried to reassure herself as she dove into another book. Hope was all she had left.

* * *

Zack was in one of his favorite spots in Nibelheim. It was a ways from the town itself, but Zack enjoyed the solidarity once in a while. The sun was just right today – warm enough to keep the chill away, but not so intense that he was hot. He sighed in a content sort of way, the breeze shifting the grass so that it tickled against his bare arms. Laying back, Zack stared up into the clear blue sky, squinting against the brightness, trying to spot some clouds. The day was perfect.

The light was blocked from view as a face appeared above him; the bemused grin he was receiving was the first thing he noticed.

"What?" he asked, eyebrows shooting up as he peered up into the face.

"What are you doing, Zack?" the person asked, her voice light and sweet. He couldn't help but grin.

"Enjoying the day. I like to get away once in a while. How do you know who I am?" he asked. Some part of him thought he should be alarmed that this stranger knew his name, but she had such a comforting aura about her that it was hard to tense up. He felt himself relaxing even more as he stared into deep pools of green.

"You don't remember me, silly?" she asked, a concerned and affectionate look on her face. Zack shook his head, grass tickling his ears. "Well, that's nice," she snorted, then sat down next to him, curling her legs under herself, hands holding her dress down.

They were both silent for a long time, content to sit there in silence, staring up into the clear sky. Finally, the girl spoke up again, her face still tilted up to the sky, the sunlight creating a dazzling sort of halo around her. Zack thought she was beautiful.

"You shouldn't be here, you know," she said, a small frown tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"I come here all the time," he reassured her.

"This isn't real. It's all in your head."

"It sure feel reals," he insisted, shrugging. "Why would I want to leave, anyway?"

"Because, you're in danger."

Zack frowned, and the girl's figure became less clear, like she was shifting in and out of view. When she spoke again, her voice was odd; like the sound of many people speaking at once.

"Wake up, Zack."

"I am awake," he replied, wincing against the sudden brightness. His face screwed up in pain as a sharp, stabbing sensation ripped into his arm, setting his nerves on fire. A strangled curse bubbled in his mouth and slipped away into a wordless cry, and he gasped as the pain intensified. It felt like his entire body was on fire.

_I'm dying_! He thought, writhing in the grass – no, grass wasn't cold like metal. The scene around him peeled away, the color leeching out to a single monochrome and intense, bright white.

"Wake up, Zack!" a voice called out, and he blinked against the light, teeth grinding together. A red blob filled his blurred vision, until his eyes began to focus, and a familiar looking girl swam into view. She was holding a needle in her hand, casting surreptitious looks over her shoulder.

"It worked!" she whispered in relief, shoulders sagging momentarily. "I've got to get you out of here."

"Who...rrr...yyye..." Zack slurred, unable to control his mouth. His entire body felt numb, though it was beginning to tingle strangely – like when his foot fell asleep after he sat on it for too long, only multiplied by a thousand times, and all over his body.

"We don't have time for this," she began, but stopped abruptly as the pneumatic swoosh of a door opening interrupted.

"Who are you? What are you doing with my subject? Do you have authorization to be in here?"

"Shit," the girl hissed under her breath, turning swiftly to face the newcomer, a man with a severe ponytail, glasses, and an intense look of cockiness on his face. Zack didn't like him, he decided. He wiggled his fingers experimentally as they regained feeling.

"Ah, a Turk. You have no business here," the man said briskly, scowling. "Wait – how did you get him to wake? I've tried everything and nothing has worked to cure his mako poisoning. What have you done to him?" the man demanded.

"Hojo," the girl said, her voice just as brisk and sharp. "You had no authorization to take this prisoner."

"Ha! Don't make me laugh, girl. I have every right. It is you who has overstepped their boundaries. Now tell me, what did you give him?"

"That doesn't matter. All that matters is that I managed to save him after you nearly killed him."

"He was practically dead when I found him," he said dismissively, waving his hand with impatience. "What is your name, Turk?"

Again, the girl evaded the question. "From your reports, Hojo, it seems that you weren't trying very hard to save him."

"Don't be ridiculous," he snapped. "This young man is very important. I was doing my utmost to save him – after he answered my questions...well, that's a different story entirely." The man chuckled in what wasn't a very reassuring way.

Meanwhile, Zack was beginning to feel stronger by the second. Whatever the girl had given him, he _was_ feeling better, despite the initial pain it had caused him. He wiggled his toes next, a jolt of jubilation surging through him. His muscles were crying for the chance to move. He realized he couldn't remember the last time he _ran._

And these people, whoever they were, seemed to be holding him captive. He was a prisoner, but he couldn't remember for the life of him why. He had to get away though – his instincts were screaming at him to get as far away as he could. Or maybe it was the voice in his head telling him to. The voice was the only thing familiar, the only thing comforting in this place.

Zack's eyes darted around, taking in the scene. The man and the girl were still arguing, and Zack's eyes locked in on the man's lab coat. A scientist, Zack reasoned. Then his eye was caught by the logo stitched into the fabric.

_Shinra! Shinra's holding me prisoner._

All the resentment and anger Zack had for Shinra flowed up into him, and he narrowed his eyes. He had to do something! As his strength returned to him, the answer came to him. Break his restraints and make a run for it. He didn't know if the girl in front of him could be trusted though – if it came down to it, he would have to fight her. She looked more formidable than the scientist, but Zack felt sure that he could handle her, at least enough for him to escape.

"Out of the way girl," the scientist named Hojo snapped, raising a hand and making to slap her. The girl caught his wrist, eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I would rethink your actions, Hojo," she said, her voice low. Zack decided to make his move while they were distracted. He began to pull against his restraints, his muscles crying out from lack of use, but he rejoiced in the feeling. He had forgotten how it felt to be healthy. Bits and moments were flashing back to him – he had been lying, sick, dying, in a dark room.

_I'm not sick anymore, _he thought savagely, a low sound rising up from his chest. Both the girl and Hojo turned to look at him, just in time to see him bust the restraints to his hands.

"The subject is escaping!" Hojo shouted.

"Zack!" the red-haired girl cried out, eyes widening. Zack stumbled forward, his legs readjusting themselves to carrying his weight. He recovered quickly, though, and he shoved past them both. Hojo lunged toward him, and Zack reacted without thinking. He thrust out his palm, right into the man's nose and it broke with a crack, hot blood gushing out all over his face and Zack's hand. He backpedaled away from Hojo, who was holding his nose and howling in pain and anger, eager to get out of his wretched prison.

"Zack, wait!" the girl cried out, reaching for him and grabbing his arm. Zack wrenched away with a mighty tug, and the girl fell back with a surprised "oh!", falling smartly on her butt. The idea of her falling seemed strange to Zack, and he wasn't sure why. She just didn't seem like the kind of person who would fall over like that. Perhaps she had just been surprised by his strength. He wasn't going to stick around and ask about it though. Without another word, he turned and ran out of the door, legs and arms pumping as he flew down corridor after identical corridor.

As he rounded another bend, wondering just how many floors this building had, he slowed to a jog, spotting a man in a purple uniform standing by an elevator. Zack swallowed heavily, tensing up again. The man turned, hearing Zack's footsteps against the floor, and for a moment, he looked shocked.

"What the-? Hey!" the guy cried, and Zack tackled him to the floor. The guy fought back, and they struggled with each other, both fighting for dominance. The guy's helmet flew off in the tussle, and Zack took the opportunity to headbutt the soldier, who's head knocked back soundly into the floor. His eyes rolled back and he went limp, knocked unconscious.

"Sorry," Zack muttered, panting lightly. He picked himself up off the ground and eyed the elevator warily. Surely there were camera's, he reasoned. He needed another escape route...his eyes scanned his surroundings again, heart pounding in his chest, sure more soldiers were going to come running. He couldn't take them all on at once, especially since he was weaponless.

Finally, his eyes found what they were looking for. The exit door for the stairs. He burst through the door and fairly flew down the steps, taking three at a time. He could almost taste his freedom.

* * *

"This is by far the craziest thing we've ever done, and that includes a trip across the world to save our best friend," Tifa hissed to Cloud, crouched in the darkness with him.

"What choice do we have?" Cloud asked as his fingers fumbled with the grate in front of him, loosening the screws to the vent. "If we don't help these guys, they won't help us find Zack."

Tifa knew this, of course. Two days of planning, but that didn't make her feel any better about what they were doing. Barret had some crazy idea to blow up the mako reactor, a plan that was probably going to get them all killed. The train ride to the sector had been nerve-wracking, and she'd been sure they were going to get caught. Because she and Cloud were the least trained for battle, it had been up to them to get inside while the others kept watch.

Cloud grunted as he wrenched the grate away from the vent, and a spike of adrenaline shot through Tifa. She grabbed Cloud's wrist as he set the grate down quietly, meeting his glowing gaze. "Be careful," she whispered, her heart racing. He nodded with a grim smile, leaning forward to kiss her on the head, then turned and crawled into the vent on his knees and elbows. Tifa watched him retreat further into Shinra's territory until the shadows swallowed him.

She rose, brushing dirt from her knees, then crept quietly along, hugging the wall until she spotted Wedge keeping watch.

"Psst," she hissed, and his head snapped in her direction. She waved at him, signaling that Cloud had succeeded, and that they should follow. He would pass the message on to Barret and Jessie, who would be coming as well – Barret, for protection, and Jessie to set up the bomb. Then she crept back, squeezing into the vent to follow Cloud, nervous at the idea of him being alone in the reactor. Crawling through the dusty vent seemed to take an age, and Tifa had to stifle the urge to sneeze several times. She felt relief when she finally saw the glow of electronic light ahead, indicating she was nearing the inside of the building, and felt even better when she saw Cloud's head peer in, his blue eyes almost glowing in the darkness.

"Good, you made it," Cloud said, his voice hushed, and he looked as relieved as she felt. She took a moment to hug him after she climbed out of the vent, trying to calm herself.

"This is crazy," she murmured. A soft chuckle rumbled in his chest.

"So you've said," he said, gently brushing dust away from her clothes. "You're a mess," he said with affection.

"You don't look any better," she said. The tips of his hair were dark with dust, and she ruffled it, watching as dust particles floated up and swirled into the air. "You make a great duster," she teased, but her laughter faded away quickly. She was far too tense to joke. Cloud sensed her unease and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, hugging her close to him. They waited in silence for Barret and Jessie to crawl through the vent.

Jessie's mop of hair appeared first, and she climbed out lithely, grinning cheekily at them. Barret followed her, sweaty and dusty, having to literally squeeze himself out of the square opening.

"Damn small vents," he grumbled, bushy eyebrows nearly meeting in the middle as he scowled. He didn't bother to clean himself off, choosing instead to glare at everyone, his beard grayed with filth, as though daring them to laugh. Tifa may have found the situation funny, if she hadn't been terrified that they were going to blow themselves up soon.

"This way," Jessie called, waving them over to a door. The only light they had to guide themselves was the feeble glow of a nearby computer, humming and radiating warmth as it did its job. The room was so dark, in fact, Tifa wondered if the door was actually powered to open, but when Jessie neared it, it slid open with a swoosh, and they followed her. The next button was lit a little better, and in the center of the room was a large machine with several oversized buttons, glowing purple.

Jessie walked past the buttons to the next door; this one, however, did not open at her presence. She shot a calculating look to the buttons. She pressed one experimentally, and it beeped loudly, startling Tifa so that she jumped. She berated herself silently for being so nervous. No one was around except for them.

"I think we have to push these all simultaneously..." Jessie said, gesturing to the buttons with a sweep of her hand. "Worth a try, at least."

It took several tries for them to time it right to push all the buttons at once, but eventually a happy little beep sounded in the room, and the door unlocked, sliding open. "Success," Jessie grinned, and she hurried through the door before it closed on them again. Tifa followed closely behind Cloud, who stayed behind Barret (who, after all, did have a very large gun attached to his arm).

They ended up on a large, metal walkway, surrounded by dirty pipes, steam releasing from vents every so often. At the center of the room was a large, humming machine, the power of it making the walkway beneath their feet vibrate.

"The reactor," Barret said, scratching his chin. "These things are sucking the life right out of the planet, you know? It ain't right."

"Let's have this lovely conversation later, eh Barret?" Jessie said, rubbing her nose nervously. "This place reeks."

"Yeah, Shinra stinks," Barret guffawed. "Right, let's get to work," he said gruffly. He led the way down the winding walkways and stairs until they reached the center of the reactor, the humming even louder now. Tifa could barely hear herself think, much less anyone who might sneak up on them while their backs were turned. She kept throwing nervous glances over her shoulder, expecting to see soldiers come running. The hum of power increased to a high pitched whine in her ears, and she grimaced in discomfort. Jessie didn't seem bothered, though, and she set to work getting the bomb ready.

"We've got trouble," Cloud said loudly in her ear, pointing, and Tifa turned, heart hammering as several people hurried in through a side door.

"HEY!" she heard them yelling over the reactor's noise, followed by the 'pow pow' of a few poorly aimed shots, and the inevitable pings as the bullets bounced off of the metal walkways. Barret raised his arm up and released a round of bullets their way, cursing heartily at them, face contorted in a fierce grimace, sweat dripping down the side of his face. Tifa watched, horrified, as the men crumpled to the ground, blood spreading along their clothes where they'd been hit.

"You KILLED them!" she said, her voice much more high pitched than usual.

"It's kill or be killed, sweetheart," Barret said gruffly. "Jessie, hurry up with that bomb!" Jessie made a rude gesture in response. "Alright, kiddies, more'll be coming soon, so get ready to fight."

"We have no weapons!" Cloud shouted, shooting Barret an incredulous look. Barret nodded at the bodies lying on the walkway. "They won't be using those guns anytime soon. Take one," he said, glancing back over at Jessie, who was feverishly connecting wires.

Cloud hesitated only a moment before his instincts for self preservation kicked in and he grabbed one of the dead soldier's guns, holding it awkwardly in his hands. He'd never shot at anything in his life. Tifa followed his example, trying desperately to ignore the blood that coated the handle of her gun. She felt safer, at least, with the gun in her hand, though she had no intention of killing anyone. She could fight, but she was also rational enough to know that she would get shot down before she could get close enough to fight someone hand to hand.

When the next three soldiers ran in, Barret began shooting again without hesitation. Cloud shot off a few, poorly aimed rounds, missing the soldiers completely. One turned his attention to them, firing in their direction. Tifa let out a shriek and danced out of the way, crying out as shrapnel ricocheted off of the metal grating and bit into her calf. Her eyes swam with tears of pain as the wound burned. She dropped the gun and bent over, grasping her leg, feeling the warm blood there, and growing faint.

"Tifa!" Cloud cried out, concern tightening his face.

"I'm...okay," she hissed, grimacing. Cloud's face grew dark, despite her feeble assurances, and he lifted the gun again, firing with intent. He looked grimly satisfied when one of the soldiers tumbled to the ground. Her getting injured seemed to be the motivation he needed to aim properly.

"Done!" Jessie crowed triumphantly, yelping and ducking as bullet ricocheted off the nearby metal.

"Time to get the hell outta here," Barret roared, as Cloud shot the last soldier who fell with a groan. Cloud had a pale, determined look on his face, but he dropped the gun, his hands shaking slightly.

"Tifa, can you walk?" he asked, hurrying to her side. She hissed in pain as he touched her leg and shook her head, biting her lip. "I'll carry you then. Hold onto that gun in case we have to shoot someone again – I can't do both," he said, putting on a brave smile. She nodded and mimicked his smile, hissing as he jostled her into his arms.

"Sorry," he apologized, but she merely shook her head while she grimaced.

"S'okay. Just stings," she said, blinking back unwanted tears of pain.

Every pounding step he took caused her leg to throb in agony, but she bit her lip to keep from crying out as they ran, aware that any minute they could all be blown to smithereens anyway. She tried to focus on her surroundings, on the feeling of Cloud's arms wrapped around her, but each stab of pain pulled her further and further away from reality. Through a combination of shock and blood loss, Tifa blacked out.

* * *

"Aerith." Sephiroth's voice cut through the silence, oddly loud in the dust-laden room. "They kept her on the mountain. Jenova."

"Wait...she's still alive? What do you mean, kept? Like a prisoner?" she asked, brow furrowing and nearly meeting in the middle.

"She's up on Mt. Nibel...up at the outpost we were supposed to go to when we first came here."

"Then we should go save her," Aerith said. "She is your mother, after all. And a Cetra, like me. And you," she added. "Maybe she'll have the answers I'm looking for, because these books are useless," she said with a heavy sigh, dropping a book back into its shelf.

"What about the snow?"

"We'll just have to brave it. Don't tell me you're scared," she said teasingly.

"Of course not," Sephiroth scoffed, glaring at her. She knew he was only joking around with her though.

"Come," she beckoned. "We need to get out of this dusty room anyway. I feel like it's sucking the life out of me, and we've wasted too much time." She hesitated, biting her lip guiltily. "I was so _sure_ this place would hold the answer to Zack's cure."

"Perhaps Jenova will have it. Don't worry Aerith. We'll save him."

"...right. Thanks, Seph," she said, leaning into him as he gave her a one-armed hug. They exited the room, pulling the switch to the light so that the room fell into darkness once more. Aerith shrugged uncomfortably as they closed the door, the unpleasant sensation of being watched making her wary. She cast her gaze around, scanning the dirt walls, seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

"Do you feel that?" she asked Sephiroth, whispering. The atmosphere seemed to call for quiet voices.

"Something's different," he agreed, a frown on his face. Aerith held her breath, listening to the sounds of the basement. She couldn't quite place what was wrong.

"Let's go. This place has gotten creepier, somehow." Sephiroth didn't verbalize it, but she could tell that he agreed. As they both walked back toward the ladder that would bring them to the top level of the mansion, she listened intently, breathing shallowly so she could hear better. The sounds if faint scratching, most likely from lurking monsters and mice, reached her ears, and the _drip, drip_ of a leaky pipe – but those sounds were there previously. No, it wasn't a new sound that was different. It was the lack of a sound.

With a start, Aerith realized that she could no longer hear the deep, heavy breathing of the man from the coffin. Before, she had mistaken it for wind from a draft, but now it was gone. She opened her mouth to tell Sephiroth her revelation, but she let out a girly shriek instead as said man appeared in front her her, red eyes blazing. Cursing her reaction – she was in SOLDIER, after all! - she swung her staff around lightning quick, and was shocked when the man grabbed the staff in midair, blocking her attack completely. His hollow gaze shifted from her to Sephiroth, and his pupils dilated and then contracted, his nostrils flaring.

"Hojo's son. Hojo's experiment. Sephiroth," she said, his voice deep, and so full of pain that Aerith felt a surge of sympathy for him. Somehow, she just knew he was a man who hadn't had an easy life.

"What do you mean, Hojo's son? His experiment?" Sephiroth demanded angrily, barely keeping his voice level.

"I never thought I'd see you down here," the man said instead of answering.

"Who are you?"

"...Vincent. Vincent Valentine."

"Answer my question, Valentine," Sephiroth commanded. Vincent merely regarded him for the longest time, and Aerith didn't think he was going to answer.

"I knew your mother," he said finally, eyes flickering strangely. "And I was...acquainted with your father."

"Hojo is not my father," Sephiroth replied, his voice back to it's chilling coolness.

"Oh? You have been misinformed, then."  
"Lies. You are wasting our time."

"You're going up the mountain to see Jenova, then?"

Aerith was disconcerted with Vincent. How did he know? Had he been listening to them, outside the door of the library. Sephiroth didn't do him the justice of answering him, though. He swept past Vincent instead, his long strides carrying him quickly to the ladder. Aerith could see in Seph's posture how agitated he was. Vincent's words had bothered him, no matter how he tried to hide it.

"Was Hojo really his father?" Aerith asked Vincent as he turned to leave. The mysterious man raised his eyes slowly to look at her; it felt a bit like he was trying to stare into her soul, and she lowered her eyes in an attempt to stop it.

"Hojo's a cruel man. Mad, even. And Sephiroth – he isn't what you think he is. But I'll leave that to you to discover."

"What are you going to do?"

"...Sleep." And then Vincent was gone, disappearing back into his small room with the coffin, leaving a bewildered Aerith standing in the basement of the mansion. Sephiroth called down to her, shaking her from her confusion.

"Aerith, let's go!"

Outside, it was snowing lightly, but not like their first time up the mountain. The path, while covered in snow, wasn't anything they couldn't handle. And so they trudged dutifully up the mountainside, both going in silence. Aerith wasn't sure what to say to Sephiroth, not with Vincent's word in her mind. Was it a warning? Was he only messing with her, trying to throw her off her guard? On his part, Sephiroth didn't appear to want to talk about their experience. He was more taciturn than ever.

Even more eerie was the fact that they ran into no monsters on the way up; she'd expected some, at least, given her past experience with the mountain, but they remained mysteriously absent. Frankly, she would have felt better if she knew where they were. She had the uneasy feeling that they were all watching her, waiting to pounce.

She voiced her worries to Sephiroth, who merely shrugged. "Don't worry," he said, and then he bowed his head and set off, his pace quickening. Aerith could tell that he was eager to get to the top of the mountain, to see Jenova. His mother. Aerith wondered, if she had really been alive all these years, why didn't she try to find Sephiroth? Surely a mother would care about her own son? If her own mother had still been alive...well, she probably never would have joined Shinra in the first place. Then again, if her mother had still been alive, they would have most likely been in hiding, escaping the grasp of Hojo. She frowned to herself at the thought. It was strange to think of the life she could have had. She couldn't imagine Shinra being her enemy, and yet, in that other life, they would have been. Shinra – Hojo, really – had been the one to kill her mother.

And Vincent said Hojo was Sephiroth's father. She couldn't blame him for not wanting to believe it. She could barely grasp it either. Sephiroth, for all his coolness, was kind-hearted and loyal. Hojo was the exact opposite of that. Aerith supposed that Sephiroth obtained his better traits from his mother's side of the family.

"There," Sephiroth said, his voice barely hiding hid eagerness. "I see the building up ahead."

Aerith squinted into the bright whiteness of the mountain, letting her eyes adjust. Yes, she could see it too. Her own excitement grew as well. Hopefully, all her questions would be answered soon. Seph's strides became longer, if that was possible, and Aerith practically had to jog to keep up with him.

"Someone's eager," she panted, and he shrugged again, hair flapping behind him.

"Aren't you?" he shot back. She harrumphed and ran past him, forgetting, if only for a moment, how extremely nervous she was. When she beat him to the building, she let out a triumphant cry. He gave her a stern look, but a hesitant smile was tugging at his lips.

Her nervousness came rushing back to her, and she felt a bit lightheaded. "This is it," she said, gazing up at the building. It looked rather ominous from the outside, and to add to the eeriness, nobody was around. She couldn't decide if this place or the basement was worse. Even though it was bright outside – and how could it not be, with the amount of snow piled up? - the building gave off a menacing aura.

"Right. Finally, we'll get some answers." Sephiroth didn't sound nervous at all. He had an excited gleam in his eyes, and he didn't hesitate to stride right up to the door and open it. He glanced back at her momentarily, one eyebrow raised, and he beckoned her with one hand.

She followed, heart pounding in her chest. She had to resort to deep breaths to calm her jittery nerves. _It's just a building,_ she told herself. _Building's can't hurt you._

Unfortunately, she was fully aware that it wasn't the building, but what was inside it that was worth worrying about. She slipped past the open door, and Sephiroth closed it behind her, the room falling into darkness. The only light came from low, red lights, illuminating the walkway and throwing the corners of the room into darkness. A soft, luminescent glow came from several pods that lined the room. Curious, Aerith stepped forward to one of the pods, peering inside it. She let out a startled yelp (though she was glad she didn't shriek girlishly again, like when Vincent had surprised her) and stumbled backwards into Sephiroth.

"What are those?" she asked in a horrified whisper, the unnerving feeling that _something_ just wasn't right deepening. Sephiroth peered around her, his frown also deepening, so much so that he looked like he was scowling.

"Experiments from Shinra, I imagine. Monsters?" he stepped back from the pods, disconcerted.

"Sephiroth, look above that door," she said, pointing to the centered door up the stairs. In faded letters, but still readable, was 'Jenova'. "She's in there," she said, her voice falling to a whisper once more. Again, this was one of those places that just seemed to call for hushed voices.

Sephiroth didn't speak, but climbed the stairs slowly; to Aerith, it seemed he was nervous now, even though he had been eager before. Perhaps the prospect of meeting his mother for the first time was making him anxious. In his place, Aerith knew that she would be, too. In fact, she held her own sort of anxiousness – she would be meeting another Cetra, after all. Sephiroth's boots clanged softly on the metal stairs until he paused at the top, one hand on the handle of the door. He took a deep breath through his nose, his chest rising and then falling as he exhaled. His green eyes closed, and then he wrenched the door open.

* * *

Zack's escaped down the stairs worked markedly better than he would have thought. Of course, that didn't mean he went unchallenged. Every so often, there was a security camera, and a few floors later, more guards came running. At one point, he had to leave the stairwell and stumbled out onto an unfamiliar floor. Of course, they were all unfamiliar, as he couldn't remember what he was doing in Shinra's HQ, not to mention that didn't actually _belong _there to begin with. The room he'd burst into was blessedly void of people. He was panting lightly, surprised at how agile he felt. He couldn't remember ever being quite so energized before. Then again, he couldn't recall a lot of things at the moment.

_No time to dwell,_ he thought to himself dismissively. _Escape first, then ponder your sudden amnesia._ The room was stocked with weapons and clean SOLDIER uniforms. He eyed the uniforms speculatively. Perhaps his key to escape was just one disguise away. Making up his mind, he reached for the nearest uniform – it was blue and simple looking, but comfortable. Then he paused, eying the black uniform next to it. _ I do look better in black. _His next choice made, he grabbed the black uniform and stripped off his clothes, pulling the uniform on in its stead. He was surprised that it was as comfortable as it looked – he supposed they had to be though, if people had to go around wearing them all the time. On the other hand, many people had to wear suits daily, and Zack didn't think those were comfortable at all. The shoulders guards were a little uncomfortable, but most often, armor was. Not that he'd actually worn armor before.

He shook his head free of his wandering thoughts again. What was wrong with him? He only had half of Shinra searching for him, probably bent on killing him. With this thought, he decided he should look for a weapon. He scanned the room again, eyes roving over the racks of weapons. Guns and swords and grenades – nothing appealed to him. And then his eyes stopped on a large sword, almost to the point of being ridiculous. Still, he couldn't help being drawn to it. It was like it _belonged_ to him. And so he took it, the weight comfortable in his hand, and he smiled. Now he stood a chance. With the blade in hand, part of him almost wished his disguise wouldn't work. A part of him wanted to test the blade on the guards, to get revenge on Shinra. But he knew it was imprudent to give away his disguise. Even though he was feeling strong – better than he ever had in his life – he knew that he wouldn't be able to take all of Shinra on. So with a sigh, he strapped the blade onto his back, the motion well practiced, though he couldn't recall why, and he left the room, hoping he would blend right in.

He barely kept his cool as several SOLDIERs came running past, all frenzied and hectic. "Come on!" one of them yelled. "One of the reactor's is under attack! AVALANCHE is at it again!"

And so Zack followed, knowing if he didn't he would look suspicious. "Hey, you're a first? I've never seen you around before," another SOLDIER said conversationally as they jogged toward the elevator. "Must be new though, what with all the other firsts disappearing. Name's Luxiere – you?"

"Uh," Zack started, but he stumbled as the earth shook below them, sending tremors through the Shinra building.

"Shit!" another SOLDIER cursed. "Reactor is down, I repeat, reactor is down!" He was screaming into a walkie talkie, to whom, Zack didn't know.  
"They blew it up, the little shits," another voice came through the walkie. "They escaped – we lost them in the blast."

"We gotta do clean-up. Send a few down – monsters may have stirred in the explosion. Can't be too careful," another voice said, the voice garbled in the little speaker.

"Awright, all of you," said a SOLDIER in a blue uniform. He was pointing to a group of SOLDIERS in purple uniforms. "You get your asses down there and start with the clean up." The 2nd Class met Zack's eyes, and he paled slightly. "Oh, uh, I didn't realize you were there sir. You're a first, you probably have more important things to do-"

"No! I uh, I mean, I'll go for...backup. The blast may have awakened some very powerful monsters. They may need my help," Zack said, in what he hoped was a convincing way. He didn't want to sound like a blundering idiot. _That_ would give him away.

Several of the purple-uniformed SOLDIERS nodded enthusiastically. Who didn't want a 1st on their team after all?

"Thank you sir!" they chorused. And then Zack was saluted. He almost laughed, but he bit it back, striving to remain serious looking.

"Head out men!"

Fortunately, Zack was free of the Shinra HQ building. Unfortunately, he was still stuck with a group of SOLDIERs, all whom were unaware that he was an escaped prisoner/lab subject. Thick black smoke was rising up from the ruined reactor, and rubble lay smoldering for miles around it. The explosion had been quite...well, explosive. The air had taken on a greenish tinge, and Zack worried absently that he might get poisoned. When he asked about it, he received a strange look.

"No way, buddy, it's just mako left over from the blast. Sometimes it happens in high concentrations like these. But we're already pumped full of the stuff. We just gotta keep the civilians away – they would get poisoned."

While the other SOLDIERs set to work, many of them grumbling under their breath as they kicked shredded metal aside, Zack pretended to look busy scouting for 'powerful monsters'. To be honest, it didn't look like anything was around for miles. It was lucky, perhaps, that the reactor had been in such a remote place, or more people would have been hurt.

"Here's a body!" one SOLDIER called, hunched over a charred form. "Maybe it's one of AVALANCHE...ah, no, one of ours," he said with a despondent sigh. "Damn AVALANCHE."

Many SOLDIERs nodded their heads and muttered in agreement. This gave Zack an idea, one that could hopefully get him away from Shinra scotch free.

"Well," he said loudly, garnering the attention of everyone around him. "Clearly there's only one thing to do – I need to track down these AVALANCHE members and bring them to justice!" _Yeah, that sounded good. Leader-like_.

Slow murmurs of agreement swelled around him. "Yeah, you show them!"

"I'll come with you!" someone cried, and Zack saw it was the SOLDIER from before – Luxiere.

"Er, no. You're needed here. Besides..." Zack floundered for a moment, his brain frantically searching for a plausible reason to get out of this. "You'll just get in the way. You know – 1st Class business and secrets...and such," he added lamely. Miraculously, they seemed to buy it, although Zack could see a few who were looked bemused. "Well, I must be off," he said with an erratic wave, before too many people cottoned on, and then he darted away, doing his best to look lively and SOLDIER-ly.

"Now...if only I could remember what I'm doing here."

* * *

Aerith felt a chill slide down her spine as she stepped into the room behind Sephiroth. The thing in front of her was cold and metallic, and the same soft glow from the pods in the other room was emitting from behind it.

"Mother," Sephiroth breathed, and he stepped up to the thing, a strange expression on his face. He grasped the head gently, as though he were going to caress its cheeks. In a sudden movement, he pulled the metal face away, and Aerith gasped audibly.

Whatever she thought Sephiroth's mother might look like, whatever she thought a Cetra might look like, _this_ was not it. Pale blue and naked, floating in a tube of greenish liquid, and like the building encasing it, a sinister aura bled off the...thing. Aerith had no other word for it. The top of her brain was visible above a metal helmet, with her name engraved in it. Strange organs grew out of her, pulsating sickeningly inside the plasma. One eye glowed a sinister red...her other eye seemed to have been misplaced, and was instead on her breast. Aerith took an involuntary step back, heart in her throat, while Sephiroth was looking on with something akin to reverence, and worry buried deep in her mind, which was crying out in panic. _This was not a Cetra._ That much, she could feel. That much she just _knew_.

"Mother..." Sephiroth said again, his voice a gentle whisper.

"Sephiroth..." Aerith hissed, her body screaming at her to run and leave this place. Sephiroth took no notice of her, though. Was this what Vincent had alluded to? If _this_ was Sephiroth's mother, then what was he? Sephiroth frowned and rubbed at his head, like he had a sudden headache. When he looked at her, his eyes were strangely blank, and it unnerved her more than she wanted to admit. "Seph...?"

Aerith actually jumped when her phone suddenly rang, but the noise seemed to snap Sephiroth out of it. He shook his head like he was clearing of spiderwebs, and then looked at Jenova again, an appropriately horrified look crossing his smooth features.

"Hello?" Aerith asked as she answered the phone, her voice calm despite the fact that the phone ringing had nearly scared her to death.

"Aerith, we've got a problem," Cissnei's voice came through, slightly distorted. Her cell phone connection wasn't very good up on the mountain, made apparent by the fact that Cissnei's voice kept cutting off.

"Zack - … - gone...- stop him...but he...- now I don't know where he is!"

"What? Wait, slow down. What happened?"

"Hojo had Zack – found him almost dead – woke up – and then he ran!" Even though Aerith wasn't getting the whole message, she understood enough to gather what had happened. Hojo had taken Zack, Cissnei had found him, and somehow Zack had escaped.

"You gotta get ba-...-actor blew up!"

"Cissnei, I'm losing you. Listen. We're coming home. Try and find Zack, okay?" But there was no response. Her phone lost all connection, and Cissnei was gone.

"Sephiroth," she said firmly, clicking the phone shut. "We need to leave." Sephiroth was still staring at the disgusting creature, apparently mesmerized. "SEPH! Zack's in trouble!"

Sephiroth twisted to look at her, a strangely helpless look on his face.

"Aerith, what does this mean? If this is my _mother..._this _monster. I'm a monster too._"

"No, you're not," Aerith snapped, glaring at him. She grabbed him by the arms and made him face her. She was surprisingly strong for her looks, after all. "You are one of the kindest men I know. I don't care if this thing and Hojo are your parents. You've always been kind to me, loyal to Shinra, brave and strong – and those are all good things, in my book. So you listen to me, Sephiroth. Don't you even dare worry that you're some kind of monster. Jenova and Hojo, they aren't your family. SOLDIER is your family. _I'm _your family."

"...Jenova is not a Cetra," he said softly, gazing at the creature. "I've seen you...Cetra, they're almost human. Mostly," he said, his lips quirking slightly. "But they are infinitely better than us, I think. Apparently, they have the capacity to make a man feel like himself again, even at his lowest point. Or at least, you have that ability Aerith." Sephiroth was gazing down on her with a warmth in his eyes, and despite the creepy presence of Jenova, staring at them through the glass, she felt safe again.

"Thank you Sephiroth. That was very nice of you."

"I think you may have saved me, you know," he said, shooting a look back at Jenova. "When I pulled that mask down, I heard this voice in my head. I think it was Jenova...and she..." he hesitated, a shamed look on his face. "It was telling me to kill you. To destroy the Cetra. And I was going to. She was controlling me Aerith. I've always been so strong, able to face everything, but all I have to do is walk in here and she can take control. I...I'd never felt so weak, or ashamed, but there was nothing I could do."

Aerith started to pull back from him, shocked for a moment. It was alarming to think that Sephiroth had almost killed her. But he grabbed a hold of her wrist, eyes pleading. "No, please, don't let go, Aerith. The moment you touched me, the voice went away. Whatever it is about you, it made it stop. I think _you_ are the one stopping it. So hang onto me, Aerith, or I may slip away into madness, and never come back."

Aerith smiled faintly. "I won't let you slip away Sephiroth. You're my brother, after all." And she hugged him, resting her head on his chest, feeling his heart beat steadily against her ear. "...You know what else makes you human, Seph?" she asked.

He hummed questioningly, and she felt it rumble deep in his chest.

"You've got a heart. Monsters don't have hearts." He chuckled a little, and then squeezed her in a hug.

"Don't we have somewhere else to be?" he asked, pulling back slightly. Her eyes widened as she remembered the phone call she'd just had. "Zack! Oh no!" she moaned. "We've got to go!"

"...What about your questions? We never found anything out about the Cetra."

"That doesn't matter," Aerith shook her head firmly. "I don't care about knowing...not if Zack's not around. I promised him I'd save him, and I'm going to keep my promise. Whatever comes after...well, we just have to get there, don't we?"

"Of course. Very sensible of you, Aerith," Sephiroth said.

"No. Being in love makes you everything but sensible," she said, taking his hand and pulling him away from the wretched place. "But love saves people, too, I think."

As they left, Aerith slammed the door behind her.

* * *

Cloud waited anxiously by Tifa's bedside, praying she'd wake up. She'd lost a lot of blood, and had eventually passed out from it. While he waited, barely eating, not sleeping, he kept replaying the scene over in his mind. He kept thinking that if he'd taken action sooner, Tifa wouldn't have been shot. The guilt ate at him, and while it festered, his anger toward Shinra grew. He would _not_ lose both his best friends to Shinra. He refused to let it happen.

He absently held Tifa's hand, muttering soothing words that he hope would help her wake. An irrational part of him was panicking, sure that she wouldn't wake, that she'd die and he'd lose her forever. The rational part of him knew that most people didn't die from getting shot in the leg. On the other hand, they did die from blood loss – and she looked so, so pale...

"Tifa...please wake up," he said in an anguished whisper. "I...I don't know what I'd do without you. And...and...you're just too young to die."

But she slept on, her breathing still steady, her face still pale.

"You guys were good," a voice said from behind him, but Cloud didn't turn, his eyes fixed on his girlfriend.

"Not good enough. If I'd been better, Tifa wouldn't have been shot."

"Nah, you can't say that. You can't worry about those types of things. The important thing is, we're one step closer to stopping Shinra," Jesse said.

Cloud clenched his jaw, just shaking his head slowly.

"And besides, it's only a little leg wound. She's tough, she'll be fine." This made Cloud snap. He stood up angrily, his chair falling to the floor.

"No, it's NOT OKAY. I don't CARE about Shinra! I care about my friends! All we wanted was help finding Zack, and instead you guys drag us on this INSANE mission and almost get us all KILLED!"

Jesse took a step back, looking a little alarmed at his outburst. Then she frowned, and Cloud could tell she was offended.

"Look, I know you care about the Planet or whatever. But I just need my friends to be safe. I should have stopped them when they tried to take Zack. I should have been the one to get shot, not Tifa. But I'm too..._weak._ I hate it. I hate this."

"...Cloud. You're not weak," a faint voice said, and Cloud twirled so fast that he nearly tripped over his own feet.

"Tifa! You're awake."

"How could I sleep with all your yelling?" she asked, her cheek twitching in a half smile. "By the way...stop yelling at Jesse. We agreed to help them so they would help us. You can't blame them for me getting hurt."

Cloud dropped his shoulders, staring at the floor. "I was just...worried," he said, kneeling down by the side of the bed. She reached over and brushed his cheek, her smile widening. And then she said, quite firmly, "Apologize."  
Feeling a bit like a contrite child, Cloud turned his head around to face Jesse. "I'm uh, sorry...for yelling at you."

"Yeah, well," Jesse shrugged uncomfortably. "I get it. Stressful situations. I'd be more surprised if you took your girlfriend getting shot calmly. So, no biggie."

"...Thanks," he said, getting the feeling that she wasn't used to getting emotional about things, and was taking the apology a bit uneasily. So he kept it brief, and changed the subject. "So, do you have anything for Tifa to eat? She'll need to regain her strength if we're going to find Zack."

"Yeah, Barret's making something downstairs. A nice hearty stew."

"Er..." Cloud never pictured Barret as the cooking kind. Jesse seemed to read his expression, and she chuckled.

"He's a better cook than Wade or Biggs, trust me. And Marlene loves his stew." Cloud wondered who Marlene was, but kept his curiosity to himself. "It should be nearly done now. I'll head down and get you some, kay?" She turned and left before Cloud could thank her. But now that she had left, Cloud remembered he had more pressing matters. He turned back to Tifa, his face drawn in a worried expression.

"Are you alright? How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. My leg hurts, but that's to be expected, I guess," she said with a grimace as she experimentally wiggled her leg. "I don't think I'll be doing much running or fighting now, though," she sighed, looking more worried about that than anything.

"You won't have to. No more crazy missions. We'll just...I'll have to find Zack. You have to stay here and get better, right?"

"Is that safe for you to go off by yourself?"

"I'll make Barret or Jesse or someone else come with me. I won't be alone, promise," he said, squeezing her hand. Her lips twisted up in a half smile, and then she closed her eyes, sighing tiredly.

"Don't fall asleep yet. You haven't had any stew," Jesse's voice came from behind Cloud, and he twisted around again to see her standing with two steaming bowls of stew. The smell made his stomach growl loudly.

"We're all over the news," Jesse said with a grin. "Shinra's panicking. Heard they even sent SOLDIERS down to the blast site to clean up."

"Will they send people after us?" Tifa asked weakly, reaching out for her bowl of stew, arms shaking slightly. Cloud steadied her hand until she drew the bowl closer to her chest.

"Do you think Shinra will think to look for a rebel group in a run down bar?" Jesse scoffed. "No. I'm sure they think we're in some place much more secretive. Besides, no one followed us."

"...if you say so," Tifa said, sounding unconvinced. Though Cloud was starving, he waited dutifully until Tifa took a bite first to make sure she would eat before taking a bite himself. The stew _was_ delicious (and piping hot), not that he'd want to admit it to Barret.

"Thank you for the stew," Tifa said, blowing on hers to cool it down, steam spiraling away rapidly. "And for patching me up," she said, making a half-shrug and wiggling her leg.

"Cloud's the one who patched you up. He wouldn't let anyone else touch you," Jesse said with a shrug of her own, and then she turned and left. Cloud blushed as Tifa stared at him, focusing on eating his stew.

"Cloud, did you really do that?" she asked, amused.

"Well," he shrugged, slurping at the stew. "I...yeah. I took care of you. I always do, don't I?"

"Yes," she said, and he chanced a glance at her. She had a slightly exasperated look on her face. "But you could have let them help."

"They didn't have to. I had it handled."

"...well, thank you then," she said, and she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "You did a good job."

Cloud grinned, shrugging again. "I did what I had to."

"Yes, you're very manly," she said, amusement lacing her voice again. He could practically hear her rolling her eyes.

"Oh, just eat," he said, sticking his tongue out at her, grinning. She responded by taking an oversized bite, then gasping as the stew almost burned her mouth. He stifled a laugh, but only out of courtesy. She was injured, after all.

* * *

Even though Zack didn't have any intention of actually tracking down AVALANCHE, that didn't stop him from hesitating when he spotted a trail of blood. Maybe somebody had survived and dragged themselves along? Except, the blood wasn't smeared, it was more like droplets. Somebody had been carried away.

His instinct to escape was overridden by the need to help whoever this person was – so he followed the trail. It was slow going. The explosion had thrown debris and rubble everywhere, and many times, the trail was obscured, and Zack lost his place and had to go back and start over again. Finally, he got out of the blast zone, and from there, the going was much easier. The trail of blood thinned, so much so that it was only splashes here and there, but Zack was able to see it.

He followed it right up to the most run down looking bar he'd ever seen, hidden in the middle of the slums, a neon sign flashing above him, flickering weakly.

He hesitated again. Should he go in? He wanted to get as far from Midgar as he could – he knew that eventually, Shinra would be out to look for him. They probably didn't just let escaped prisoners walk free to do whatever they wanted. On the other hand, this place hardly looked like a bar that Shinra would be caught dead in. So, taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and walked inside, completely forgetting that he was currently dressed as a SOLDIER with a giant sword on his back. The entire bar fell into a hushed silence as the door closed behind him and every eye there zeroed in on him.

"SHINRA!" someone finally shouted, and there were muffled curses and several drunks fell to the floor, covering themselves. Others merely looked nervous, sweat beading on their foreheads. But the reaction of the bartender was far stranger. He lifted up his arm, and it took Zack a moment to realize that the man wasn't holding a gun – his arm _was_ the gun.

"Get the hell out, Shinra scum," the black man snarled, his face contorted in anger and malice. "We don't serve your kind here."

"Wait, just a sec-" Zack started, raising his hands, and then the man started to fire. Zack fell to the floor faster than he could have thought possible, cursing. "Shit! What the hell?"

"Look SOLDIER, I don't know why you're here, but we didn't do nuthin," the man shouted. "So git out!"

"Yeah, I can tell you're totally innocent!" Zack yelled back sarcastically. "Shooting the first guy dressed as a SOLDIER in your bar, that just _screams_ 'not guilty'!"

"Shut up!"

The sound of heavy footsteps overhead, then shouting. "What's going on, Barret?" a voice called, and a blonde haired man appeared at the top of the stairs, bewildered and harried.

"Just taking care of scum, that's all," Barret said, his gun still aimed steadily at Zack.

"What? Who- WAIT! Don't shoot, that's ZACK!" the blonde haired guy said, and he practically fell down the stairs.

"You didn't say your friend was a SOLDIER," Barret grumbled, looking disconcerted.

"He's not! Zack! ZACK! I can't believe it. How did you escape?" the young man said, helping Zack up, looking ecstatic.

"Uh...I..." Zack fumbled, his mind whirling at the sudden turn of events. "Do...do I know you?

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, I haven't updated in one thousand gazillion billion years, but...well, I dunno. I tried to make this chapter long to kind of make up for it. A lot happened. So much so, I don't even remember everything that happened. So, review and remind me. And also, let me know if my writing has gotten suckier in my absence, kay? Thanks to all of you (if any of you are) still reading this, and a special thanks to whoever reviews. Haha. I'm out, homies!**


	13. Aware, Rust, and Repair

**Chapter 12: Aware, Rust, and Repair**

**Note: In the last chapter, I imagined a lot of the events happening simultaneously, not necessarily one after the other. Hence, the changes in POV. While Sephiroth and Aerith were discovering things in Nibelheim, Zack was escaping, and Cloud and Tifa were helping Barret and the others blow up a reactor. So Aerith got the call about Zack shortly after he escaped, but before the explosion in Midgar. Which is why they know nothing about the reactor being blown up. Just clearing things up. Read on, my friends.**

_Sometimes I'm scared that things could be  
So much better than this  
What's best is not right  
Sometimes I wish that we could be  
So much closer than this  
But I won't look up  
When you walk away_

The helicopter ride home felt even longer than before, the air thick with tension. They had scampered down the mountain sharpish, but the whole way, Sephiroth asked Aerith to keep a hold of him. So she had, feeling a bit like a child holding onto her big brother's hand for protection. Only, she wasn't the one who needed protecting – he was.

She was only finally able to let go when they were flying away from Nibelheim, the mountain growing smaller in the distance, and the town already a nearly invisible speck in the landscape. When she stopped worrying that Jenova was going to take over Sephiroth's mind and make him slaughter her where she sat, her thoughts kicked into overdrive, going over everything that had happened that day. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, organizing her thoughts. She wouldn't get anywhere if her mind was in chaos.

She pictured in her mind the book that she and Sephiroth had read, the one mentioning him; the one written by Hojo. It had mentioned Vincent Valentine, and Sephiroth's biological mother, Lucrecia. Vincent had been a Turk. When Aerith had seen him, though, he looked unlike any Turk she'd ever seen before. Foolishly, she reckoned he looked a bit like a vampire, or how she imagined vampires looked. If Hojo's diary was anything to go off of, and he really had experimented on Vincent...well, she wasn't that surprised. What did surprise her was how young the man had looked – barely older than Sephiroth, which was impossible if he was a young man before Sephiroth was even born.

Then again, that was probably another side effect from whatever Hojo had done to him...

Her mind switched fluidly away from that problem. The fate of Vincent Valentine was far out of her hands. Not that she wanted to be blunt, but she had other lives to think about at the moment.

"Hey Sephiroth," she said slowly, unsure how to approach the subject.

"Hmm?" he hummed, his eyes focused on the sky.

Perhaps it was best to just jump in and do it. "About Hojo's diary. Do you remember how it said you were created from Jenova's cells?"

"How could I forget?" he asked dryly.

"Well...why? Why would he do that?"

"He thought Jenova..." he shuddered at the name, but brushed it off. She could tell he was trying hard not to be disturbed by it. "He thought she was a Cetra, didn't he? He wanted to make more."

"Why did he need a Cetra? Why couldn't he see that Jenova wasn't really a Cetra? How could a Cetra be a monster like that?" she asked, beginning to feel a little angry. Honestly, how could anyone mistake a creature like that for a Cetra?

"...Aerith. I don't have all the answers. But I can guess. Shinra wanted the Cetra so they could have the Promised Land – a place where they could get an infinite supply of mako to power the world. Shinra...they want power. Simple as that. I can see why they would have turned the other cheek at Hojo's experiments. That is the only reason I can fathom for them letting him stay on as a scientist – if you can even call that fool a scientist at all," he said with venom.

"So they created you...but they must have realized that you weren't a Cetra, that Jenova wasn't one either. That's why they had her locked up," she guessed. "But you...you were super-strong. Superhuman. Then what? Hojo wouldn't stop at just that."

At this, Sephiroth fell quiet, as if he were contemplating something. His face was serious and thoughtful.

"When...when I was younger, they used to take...blood samples from me. They told me I was helping to make other people strong with blood transfusions. So I let them. What if...what if they were using my cells, just the way the did with Jenova's?"

"To make what?" Aerith asked, frowning.

"SOLDIERS, of course. Superhuman men. Like me. But not quite like me...never as strong. I imagine a whole army of people like me...well, Shinra wouldn't want that, in case I found out the truth and tried to get revenge," he said with a low, ironic chuckle.

Aerith's mind flashed back to the times she was given injections at Shinra. They'd told her it was to make her healthier. Stronger. She realized that she had been given Sephiroth's cells, just like others at Shinra.

"But the mako...that's what makes us stronger, isn't it?"

"Yes and no. As you know, undiluted mako is poisonous. It will wreak havoc on the body, destroying it and the mind. Pure energy...it'll eat away at our bodies until they're no longer recognizable. But I was never injected with mako. I didn't need it. Something about my DNA must have seen to that...I can only speculate of course. And I...I don't think every SOLDIER at Shinra was injected with my cells. If they had to take my blood for every single person there, I'd probably be dead. No. I think they only gave it to those who became firsts. Like you."

"And the others?"

"Diluted mako, I suppose. I know you got some...but you didn't need as much as the others. They told me that. You were somewhat of a marvel to them," he chuckled. "Just like me."

"What if we're wrong about this, though?"  
"Maybe we are. But I'm betting we're pretty close to the mark, here," he shrugged. "Shinra is full of secrets. The deeper we go, the more I think we'll begin to lose our minds. Maybe it's best if we don't stray too far down," he said ominously.

"Maybe you're right," she whispered, biting her lip in worry. "I...I'm sorry that you were lied to all this time," she said, feelings of doubt and anger swirling in her. All this time...Shinra had never really been what it said it was.

"It's okay. I don't know why you're apologizing, though, Aerith. You didn't do this to me. And besides, you were lied to as well. You should be just as angry as me."

"I...I guess. I just don't...want to think about it anymore. I want to go there and get Zack and Cissnei and Tseng, and anyone else who wants to come, and just leave Shinra forever."

Sephiroth laughed darkly. "They won't let us go without a fight."

"Then maybe we fight," she said defiantly, mouth drawn tight, eyebrows furrowed. "Maybe we teach Shinra a lesson."

"There's the Aerith I know," Sephiroth said, meeting her eyes, an approving look on his face.

"But first, we have to find Zack. Before we make any plans to take Shinra down, we have to help him. _I _have to help him. I promised I would."

"Well, I don't want you to break any promises, Aerith," Sephiroth said seriously. "I'll help you. Don't worry."

"Thank you," she said, closing her eyes again. "I think...I think I'm going to rest my eyes for a while. Before we get back to all the excitement."

"I'll wake you when we get there," he said, and Aerith let the world fall away, the steady thrum of the helicopter blades pushing her into sleep.

_Her sleep was filled with haunting images of Jenova, many including her coming to life and smashing through the glass tube, reaching for Aerith with ugly, blue hands. Others involved Sephiroth, with glowing red eyes, taking his blade __and running her through, all while she cried for him to stop. _

_ Then her dreams shifted, and the background faded away into dark. Aerith couldn't see anything around her, but if she listened faintly, she could hear a voice. She tried to move, but it was more like she was floating, and she sort of just...drifted in a direction. _

_ The noise grew louder, and she realized it was many voices talking at once. They all held a familiarity to them that comforted her and made her feel warm and safe. She smiled as one voice came to her, rich and light and full of love. It was her mother._

_ "Aerith...I know you don't understand right now, but you will discover who you are supposed to be."_

_ "When?" she asked, looking around into the darkness, hoping to catch a glimpse of her mother._

_ "Soon. The answers lie with the boy, but I think you know this already. Take him to the mako pool, and from there, your understanding will bloom. You will be reunited with the Planet once again, and you will know how to save him."_

_ "How...what do you mean?"_

_ "When the time is right, give him the gift. It will be his cure. You will understand...and don't forget, I love you, no matter what."_

_ "Wait! Can't I see you?"_

_ "Not yet. When you're reunited...maybe you can do more than just hear me. Maybe you could feel me again, and I could feel you. But you must save him first. The Planet chose him after you rejected it, but it has been waiting for you. He doesn't know it, but you were destined to meet. Forces beyond your reckoning have made it so."_

_ "Then it was all a plan, all along? Did I ever have any choice?" she wondered aloud, feeling unusually stubborn at the idea._

_ "You always have a choice," her mother's voice said, with tinkling laughter. "Just because you were destined to meet does not mean you were destined to love him. You did that all on your own."_

_ "But...he hates me. He doesn't even remember me," she cried out mournfully. Her heart began to ache with the thought of it, and it felt worse than any pain she could recall._

_ "He doesn't remember much right now – it's up to you to remind him," she said, but her voice was beginning to fade away._

_ "Wait! Don't go!" Aerith cried out, and she felt tears running down her cheeks. How cruel, to hear her mother, but not to see her? How cruel to be separated after only moments._

_ "You're here," her mother's voice whispered, and Aerith strained to hear it._

_ "What?"_

"We're here, Aerith," the voice repeated, but now it was a deep, male voice. Aerith blinked groggily, running her hand through her hair. She sniffed, realizing she was crying in real life; her face was wet with tears. "Are you okay?" Sephiroth asked, concerned.

"I'm...fine...it was just a dream..."

"Ah...I see. Well, I'm sorry to wake you, but we're back."

And indeed, they were. The helicopter was parked back on top of the Shinra building, and from her view, she could see that the reactor in Sector 1 was gone, completely destroyed.

"What happened?" she gasped, siting forward in her seat, nearly at the edge of it, pressing her face against the window.

"I suppose we'll have to find out. I'm surprised nobody else tried to call us back while we were away..." with a frown, Sephiroth unbuckled, and Aerith followed suit.

Aerith intended to find Cissnei and Tseng first. They would give her the answers she was looking for – about Zack, about Sector 1's reactor, about everything that had happened. She was really getting sick of having only questions, and no answers. She entered Shinra's HQ with trepidation for the first time in her life – she'd never felt less like she was coming home. Looking at Shinra, it felt like a foreign place. A dangerous place.

* * *

Zack stared at his sword, a frown on his face. It was familiar because it was his, Cloud had told him. But he couldn't remember actually being given the sword. He couldn't remember trivial things, like his favorite food, or the color he liked best. He couldn't remember the faces of his supposed best friends, who were both currently upstairs, asleep. He couldn't remember, and it was Shinra's fault. The only thing he could remember was that Shinra had ruined his life before, and now they had damaged him further.

He closed his eyes and grit his teeth, taking in a slow, shuddering breath. He felt almost on the verge of tears – not of sadness, but of anger and frustration. He felt drained. He wanted to be done. Another burning part of him wanted to end Shinra – but he was just a single person. What could he do?

He sighed, resting his face in his cold hands, his hot, tired eyes soothed the sensation. Cloud's face floated in his mind – how it had switched from a peculiar amusement to a crushed hurt as he realized Zack really didn't know who he was. Cloud had asked Zack not to let Tifa know – to pretend that he still recognized her, that he hadn't forgotten.

"She's gone through enough – I don't want her to have to deal with this, too. So please...just pretend you remember her, okay?" he'd pleaded, light blue eyes apprehensive.

Zack agreed. He had gone up the stairs with Cloud and hugged Tifa, who beamed and gabbed happily, overjoyed to see him. Zack had smiled and nodded, playing along. All the while, his heart felt heavy with the loss of something he should have remembered. He should have been happy to see these two people, who were clearly so happy to see him. But the only thing he felt when he looked at them was a sense of vague familiarity.

Zack shifted on the hard bar stool seat, breathing in through his nose, surprised at the sniffle he heard. He rubbed his eyes absently, muttering under his breath.

"Stupid...allergies."

He sniffled again. Why was he getting so emotional?

For some reason, the image of Cloud and Tifa hugging and smiling with one another was stuck in his head. And for some other odd reason, this was bringing up the image of a brown-haired, green-eyed girl in his head. He didn't know her name, or even why he knew her, but she was just as achingly familiar as Cloud and Tifa. It was on the tip of his tongue, but too far away to taste.

"Damnit."

"Can't sleep?" A voice asked, and Zack turned, startled.

"Oh, hey, uh...Tifa." She stood there, long brown hair mussed with sleep, a sympathetic smile on her face. He noted that she was resting most of her weight on one leg; her other one was wrapped in bandages. "Where's Cloud?"

"He's asleep, upstairs. I think he's a bit exhausted, to be honest. It's a lot to deal with when your best friend doesn't remember you."

"I-what? Of course I-" Zack spluttered, his voice dying as she gave him a look that said she clearly didn't believe him.  
"Do you two think I'm stupid? I always was the smartest of the group," she said, rolling her eyes with a chuckle. "Honestly, though. I can tell when there's something up with my best friend." She frowned now, then hobbled over to him, making to sit down on the bar stool next to him. It was hard to believe she had snuck on him, the amount of shuffling she was making. "So what happened to you, Zack?" she asked a bit sadly.

"I...I wish I remembered, I really do. Don't get me wrong, you and Cloud, you seem really familiar...my brain just can't seem to decide why."  
"Well, maybe your heart recognizes us when your brain doesn't," she said with a shrug and a smile.

"Hmm," Zack hummed. "You guys look happy together, though," he said. "Have you been dating for a long time?"

She looked a bit sad at this, though Zack didn't know why. "You're the one who got us together, actually. I don't think Cloud would have been brave enough to ask me, if not for you. You made him...well, comfortable in his own skin, I guess. He wasn't always so confident."

Zack kneaded his head with his knuckles until the skin turned white. "...how can I not remember this? I don't even remember how I got to Shinra in the first place. It's all really...fuzzy."

"What do you remember?" she asked.

"I remember...Gongaga. The mako reactor...Nibelheim. Bit of it, anyway. It's like I lost a whole bunch of years in my life."

"What about the mako pools? Do you remember that?" Zack frowned, closing his eyes. His memories flickered in his mind's eye. A hazy green pool floated there; he knew it was important, but not why.

"Vaguely..."

Tifa pursed her lips seriously, a look of concentration and discontent on her face. "And Aerith?"

"Who?" Zack asked, but for some inexplicable reason, his heart began accelerate. Tifa's frown deepened, and for another unknown reason, Zack felt disgruntled at her glumness.

"Hey, cheer up, kid," he said, grinning at her. "I'll be okay. Besides, even if I never remember my old memories, I can always make new ones with you guys, right?" But to his discern, her eyes welled up with tears and she gave a watery chuckle.

"That's just like you, you know. Always optimistic. Plus, you always called us kids, even though you're hardly older than us. And you told us to invite you to the wedding."

"You're getting married?" he asked, startled. "I mean...that's great, but, aren't you guys a little young...?" he asked. "Actually, I can't remember how old you are."

Another laugh as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "No, we're not getting married. Not soon, anyway. But you were always convinced that we would. And yes, we're still too young to be thinking about getting married anyway," she finished with a smile. "Don't worry though; you'll remember eventually."

"You seem pretty sure about that."

"Of course. You've already beaten the odds before. You survived an explosion. You were arrested by Shinra and you escaped. As far as I'm concerned, you can do anything," she said with a beaming smile.

Zack grinned meekly, scratching at the back of his head, embarrassed. "Ah, well...thanks, Tifa," he mumbled. She suddenly through her arms around him in a hug, and he patted her back awkwardly.

"I'm really glad you're okay," she whispered. "You know, memory loss aside."

He wrapped his arms around her after a moment, another wave of familiarity washing over him. Then he ventured a question.

"Who was Aerith?" he asked, and even as he said her name, he felt his pulse quicken again. At this, Tifa pulled back, regarding him seriously with her dark eyes. It crossed Zack's mind that red was a peculiar color for someone's eyes to be, but it suited Tifa, with her dark hair and pale skin. They held more warmth than any brown ever could, and a sense of comfort filled him. He grinned a little, without meaning to.

"Aerith...maybe it's better I don't tell you about her. Maybe you should remember on your own. After all...I wouldn't want to color your perceptions."

Zack frowned. That didn't sound so good. "Did she do something I should know about?" he asked, chuckling faintly. "You make it sound like she's not that good."

Tifa shrugged, inordinately interested in the bar now, her finger drawing invisible shapes onto the wood. "I'm not telling you anything about her Zack. It's better if I don't," she said, not meeting his eyes.

"Aw, come on, now you've got me really curious," he whined, pouting at her. Now she did look at him, glaring; he could tell there wasn't any real anger there, though, and he smiled at her in what he hoped was a winning way.

"You always try to do that to get what you want," she told him, a fleeting smile gracing her features. "But you won't win this time. I'm going to bed."

"You're no fun," Zack moaned, huffing. He watched her almost sullenly as she rose from the bar stool and began to hobble away.

_Good. If she won't tell me, I won't help her, _he thought, but after another second of watching her struggle, this vicious thought was squashed by a rush of sympathy.

"Let me help you, Tifa," he said, and he came up next to her, letting her wrap an arm around his shoulders.

"Thanks, Zack," she said as they reached her temporary room. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, causing Zack to flush in embarrassment.

"Are you sure you won't tell me about her?" he asked in a last ditch effort.

"No," she said firmly, closing the door in his face.

He sighed, his thoughts absently returning to the vision of a brown-haired, green-eyed girl.

* * *

Aerith sat, staring blankly at the floor, so many emotions rushing through her that she couldn't begin to pick one out and stick with it. So she just felt them all at once, a rush of relief and worry and indecisiveness, balanced precariously with the desire to do something right _then_. This desire coupled with the numerous conflicting emotions inside her left her numb, her limbs heavy and unwieldy. So she just sat. And stared.

"I...thank you for saving him," Aerith finally said, the words forming clumsily on her tongue and somehow making it past her lips. She was speaking to Cissnei, of course, but she couldn't meet her eye. A bitter part of Aerith felt reproachful. Cissnei was a trained Turk. She couldn't restrain Zack? She couldn't stop him from running off to who knows where, alone, probably injured and confused?

"I...I'm sorry, Aerith," Cissnei said, like she could read her mind. Maybe she could. They'd lived together long enough to pick up on one anothers' moods.

"No..." Aerith sighed. "Don't be sorry. You did everything you could. You helped him escape, something I was...I was too scared to do in the first place. You did him a favor."

But even as she said these things to reassure Cissnei, Aerith was terrified that Zack had been involved in the blast that had shaken Midgar. The blast that had destroyed the reactor. That entire part of the city was pitch black, completely dark. The electricity was gone, until Shinra could figure out someway to get it back. Although, from all Aerith had heard, they were far more concerned with catching the perpetrators than helping the people below. After all, what were commoners to Shinra? They were merely gutter rats they walked high above and watched scurry around for scraps of food and bits of warmth.

A bitter taste rose up in her mouth, and she made a face, holding down the urge to shout – or vomit. She couldn't decide. "How are we going to find him?" Aerith asked, to no one in particular.

"More importantly, how are we going to find him before the rest of Shinra does?" Cissnei asked, looking weary and forlorn.

"How did he even escape the building?" Aerith asked, rubbing at her temples. She had the beginnings of a headache coming on. "There are security cameras, guards...the elevators require pass keys! How did one, weakened person make it out of the building?" she asked again, slightly hysterical. While she was happy that he had somehow escaped, that didn't help her find him. He could be hurt, lying in a ditch, bleeding out...She shook her head firmly, removing the horrible imagery from her mind.

"The explosion caused a shockwave across Midgar. Our security cameras were down for a few hours because of it. Presumably he took the stairs. There were a few guards he knocked out, too. Trust me Aerith, he was much stronger than I would have expected. I don't know what Hojo gave him, did to his body, but he was at least as strong as any SOLDIER I've seen."

"So he took the stairs and then...what? He just walked right out the front door?" she snorted incredulously.

"I don't know," Cissnei shot back, sounding defensive. She crossed her arms across her chest, thin red eyebrows drawn together. Aerith felt a twinge of guilt and she covered her face in her hands, closing her eyes, her blood pounding in her head.

"Sorry, Cissnei," she mumbled, her shoulders slumping. "I'm just so..."

"Worried," Cissnei finished for her, and Aerith felt Cissnei sit down next to her. A comforting arm slipped around her shoulder, followed by a reassuring squeeze. "Zack's a survivor, Aerith. You can just tell by the look in his eyes. We'll find him, and he won't be dead or dying or anything like that." At these comforting words, Aerith was alarmed to find herself laughing wetly, tears blurring her vision.

"I want to go search for him now. I want to keep him safe," she said thickly. "Why did I leave here? I'm...a horrible person. We didn't even get the answers we were looking for," she hiccuped. She and Sephiroth had silently agreed to keep his birth a secret. It wouldn't do any good to spread the news.

"Noo, Aerith," Cissnei crooned, trying to cheer her up.

"No, it's true," she said defiantly, sniffling and wiping at her eyes. "Zack needed me. And I left him here. There's no excuse. I left for my own selfish reasons. So don't try and make me feel better about it. Because nothing you say will work."

"...Fine. Be miserable about it," Cissnei shrugged. "Or you could get your ass moving and do something about it."

Aerith stared up at Cissnei, blinking in shock. Then she gave a wobbly grin. Cissnei never was very good at the whole comforting thing. But action she could deal with. Doing something decisive – that was what Cissnei did. Aerith stood up, grinning at her best friend, the adrenaline rushing through her. Yes! They would go out into Midgar and _find Zack_. They could go right now and -

"But _first_, you should go to sleep."

"I slept on the helicopter," Aerith frowned.

"You need real sleep in a real bed," Cissnei said sternly. "When was the last time you slept for a good solid night of sleep?"

"Well...you know, I've just been so busy lately, so it was just..."

"About four days ago?" Cissnei asked knowingly, her brow raised. Aerith avoided her eyes, taking interest in the tiles on the floor. Cissnei knew her too well. Aerith shrugged noncommittally. "So I thought," Cissnei said with finality. "Bed. Rest. Now. You'll be a mess if you try to find Zack now."

"But," Aerith began, her mouth open in protest.

"He'll be fine. Hojo's shot him up with who knows what, but I gave him the mako injection to wake him up. He looked as good as new when I saw him. He'll make it through the night," she said. Aerith crumbled under Cissnei's stern stare.

"Fine," she said with petulance. "But I won't sleep. I'm too worried."

But she did sleep, almost as soon as her head hit her pillow. The pillow smelled like home, whatever her recent concerns about Shinra were, and the warmth of her blanket around her shoulders lulled her into a deep sleep. Her dreams were stranger than usual, clear, but surreal. A glowing white orb swam into her vision, only to slip away and melt into puddles of goo at her feet, still luminescent. A tickle of laughter at the back of her throat, and the scene shifted and changed until it was cool and dark, the white orb now the softly lit moon in the night sky, little gray clouds floating in it's wake. The air was warm and alive with the music of crickets, and uncut blades of grass caressed her legs.

She was surrounded by flowers, so many she lost sight of them as they disappeared into the distance, and she beamed at them, overflowing with happiness. And then a voice, almost a whisper, but one she recognized.

"You again," it said softly, and she whirled, beaming, aware of her dress flowing around and swaying about her knees.

"Zack!" she spoke his name, and it was a sweet nectar on her tongue. He appeared in front of her, and her mind noted that he was dressed peculiarly as a SOLDIER. His eyes seemed to glow more than ever in the darkness, his pale skin set aglow too by the moon's ethereal light. She had never seen a more beautiful boy in her life. His hair looked longer, but suited him, falling around his face with a casual elegance she didn't think anyone else could pull off.

"How do you know my name?" he asked slowly, hesitantly. "I keep seeing your face, but I don't know your name."

"It's Aerith, silly," she said, taking a step closer to him. Above her, the stars appeared to shiver, and beneath her feet, the earth throbbed and hummed pleasantly.

"You seem familiar," he said, his eyes fixed on hers. She didn't dare pull her gaze away, so happy she was to see him standing, looking so well and alive.

"Of course I am," she whispered, licking her lips. "Don't you remember at all?"

"No. My head's a little fuzzy. I can't remember much, to be honest." And then he grinned and scratched the back of his head, looking for all the world like a shy little boy, but still impossibly handsome at the same time. Her heart fluttered. How she had missed him.

Momentarily, she remembered how pained he had looked on that fateful day in Nibelheim when he was taken away. How he'd looked _so betrayed_. She shook her head, tucking hair behind her ear. She didn't want to think about that, not here in her dream. Because she knew it was a dream. The real Zack wouldn't be standing there, looking at her with...well, she didn't know what, but he didn't look nearly angry enough with her for it to be real life.

"How do I know you?" he asked her, his voice low, his eyes wide with curiosity.

"Please," she begged. "Can we not talk about it? Even if you can't remember me here, I want to enjoy just being with you," she confessed, and then she stepped into his arms, wrapping her arms around him. He felt as warm as she always remembered – of course he would, this was her dream, after all. Everything was coming from her own brain, she reasoned.

"Um...okay," he answered uncertainly. And because it was _her_ dream, she then took charge, tugging him down to lie with her on the ground, and then she kissed him, trying, even in her mind, to convey how very sorry she was for everything she'd done to him.

He made a surprised sound, one she didn't think she'd actually heard from him in real life, but then he started to kiss her back, and a warmth began to fill her, sealing the holes she'd felt deep inside for leaving him behind. They filled to the brim, until they spilled over, and she was crying and kissing him at the same time.

When he registered the wetness of tears, he pulled away, lips slightly swollen, looking surprised.

"Why are you crying? Am I really that bad of a kisser?" he asked, and it was so _Zack_ that she laughed and shook her head.

"I'm just so very sorry. I wish I could tell you for real, but I don't even know where you are," she said mournfully.

"I'm right here," he reassured her. "What are you sorry for?"

She sighed. Even in her dream, he didn't remember. It was just like before she had left, when he'd been delirious with fever. But she didn't want to ruin her dream by telling him, because she had a feeling her mind would conjure up that angry, betrayed Zack, and she wanted desperately to hold onto this one.

So she shook her head and kissed him again, gently this time, tasting his lips, and then moving away, kissing him on the jaw, and on the cheek, and on his forehead. She rested her own forehead against his, their noses brushing, and stared into his eyes.

His hand came up and his thumb brushed along her cheek and her jawline, his eyes never leaving hers. "Do we do this a lot?" he asked her, and she shrugged.

"Not a lot. We used to...occasionally."

"No. This must be a dream. How could I have forgotten this?" he asks, smiling crookedly. At this sight, she grins back, but then furrows her brow.

"Wait, what do you mean a dream?"

And then she heard another voice, one she hadn't been expecting at all.

"Zack, wake up! Come on!"

It was unmistakeably Cloud's voice, jarring the very scene they laid in. Their dreamy night-time world began to melt and muddle around the edges.

Zack sighed then. "Cloud's waking me up now."

"What? What do you mean?" she asked, even as he stared regretfully at her. "Wake _you _up?"

"Yeah, of course. Just when this was getting good."

"But this is my dream," she blurted, and then he was gone.

Aerith sat up with a jolt, and she was back in her room at Shinra, her mind whirling. What had just happened?

* * *

"You know, I was having a really nice dream," Zack complained as he slowly woke up.

"Oh yeah? About what?" Cloud asked skeptically.

"About this girl named Aerith."

To Zack's surprise, Cloud looked rather angry at this announcement.

"What for?" he asked aggressively.

"I don't know," Zack replied in exasperation. "I don't really have control over my brain when I'm sleeping, Cloud."

"Well here's some advice: Don't waste your time on her."

"What do you mean?"

Cloud sighed, rubbing his face with an open hand. "Look, I know you don't remember, but she's the whole reason you ended up in Shinra, Zack. It's her fault and she...she can't be trusted, okay?" he said, a painful look on his face. Like he was constipated or something.

"Oh," Zack said blankly, his face falling. "She seemed so nice in my dream, though."

"Yeah, well, you're probably just remembering how she was _before_."

"Before?"

"Before she did this to you," Cloud said, gesturing to him. "She had us all fooled."

"Cloud, stop filling his head with garbage," Tifa snapped suddenly. "Zack, Cloud's being a little biased."  
"I can't believe you're taking her side again," Cloud declared grumpily, crossing his arms.

"I'm not," Tifa explained. "Look, Zack, you put her in a difficult position. I don't think what happened can be blamed on her. I'm not saying she's totally faultless...but...Cloud's just angry. So ignore him."

They continued to bicker – they really did seem like an old married couple – but he wasn't really listening. He was just trying to picture Aerith as somebody who would put him in Shinra. He tried to picture how exactly she had betrayed him. But his mind drew up a big fat blank. Actually, it was more intent on remembering the very pleasant kiss from his dream.

Damn, he hated Cloud right now. He threw his covers back and sat up suddenly, but almost immediately laid back down as his head swam with alarming dizziness.

"Woah," he said, closing his eyes and swallowing back the sudden urge to be sick. "That was unexpected."

Cloud and Tifa immediately stopped bickering and were beside him in a flash, all concern.

"Are you okay, Zack?" That was Tifa.

"Ah, just uh...little lightheaded. I feel kinda..."

"Tired?" Cloud suggested.

"Drained?" Tifa offered.

"Yeah...does this happen to me a lot?" he asked, rubbing his head.

"Frequently. More often lately than before," Cloud said, looking uncomfortable.

"I feel kind of sick."

"You are kind of sick. Because of the mako, remember?" Tifa again, a worried look on her face. And then Zack remembered, as suddenly as if he were slapped with the memory. An explosion that ruined his life. Moving to Nibelheim to where the natural mako pools flowed.

"Oh right. I remember," he nodded. "And...that's right. It's when I met you guys," he said with a grin, his memory producing the image of a 13 year old Cloud, looking sullen at the boys who surrounded Tifa. He laughed, but the action caused his head to throb. "Ah...shit. There aren't any mako pools in Midgar. We have to go back to Nibelheim, don't we? Otherwise I...die."

"We have a little bit of time," Tifa said hesitantly, wringing her hands together. "You lasted a long time in Shinra...we..."  
"We thought we were going to find you dead," Cloud finished for her.

"I think they were keeping me alive for something. Who knows how long I'll last without any mako to heal me. I felt great yesterday, and today I feel like crap. Somehow, I don't think I'm going to last long." Zack said, frowning. He hated to be so pessimistic, but he knew he was being realistic, too.

"And...Nibelheim is across the ocean. Tifa can barely walk...and Cloud, I know you won't leave without her. I wouldn't want you to, either," he added hastily as Cloud opened his mouth, perhaps to object.

"There's artificial mako."

"It might help me for a while, but it's not the same as natural mako. Remember what...wait. Who told me that?" he asked, his brain coming up with another blank. He groaned in frustration, falling back into his couch with a grunt. "This sucks."

"Until we can get back home, we'll get you some artificial mako," Cloud promised, a determined look flashing in his icy blue eyes. "Maybe Barret can help us – we helped him, after all."

"And how do we get home?" Zack asked, making a face. "We don't have money. At least, I don't have money." Cloud and Tifa both sighed heavily, and Zack felt a twinge of guilt. He hadn't meant to make it hard on them. It was just that he'd only just remembered he was dying. And it was bumming him out.

"I'm sorry," he apologized again. "I know everyone's trying their best. I don't mean to be such a pain."

They were all silent for a while, Tifa and Cloud shooting glances at Zack, who stared down at his comforter. Then Cloud finally spoke up, breaking the awkward tense silence.

"How about we get some breakfast?" he asked. "Food will help you feel stronger, Zack. It always does," he added with a grin, clearly trying to make light of things.

"I'll go get it," Tifa offers, but when she stands up, wincing, Cloud makes her sit back down.

"Stay, I'll get it," he insists, and he disappears from the room.

Tifa stared at Zack while he continued to look down at the worn blanket covering him. His head hurt, but he thought it probably had something to do with the fact that he was gradually remembering odd things about Cloud and Tifa, the more time he spent in their presences. Or maybe whatever Shinra had injected him with was finally fading away, allowing his memories to break through, all while he got sicker.

For instance, he suddenly remembered that Tifa loved chocolate, but only if was combined with caramel or nougat. And with that he remembered the first time Cloud had nervously presented her a gift of chocolate candies, looking a bit green in the face.

He remembered how Cloud had changed from a shy, slightly angry boy, to a confident, happy one, his arm slung around Tifa's shoulders, his white grin so wide it almost made Zack's cheeks hurt remembering it. And Tifa, gradually going from pretty to gorgeous as her body finally caught up with her. Not that Tifa had ever been particularly awkward. She had always carried more grace than Zack or Cloud could ever hope to manage.

Zack glanced up now, observing Tifa carefully. She was how he remembered her, thought slightly thinner, like she hadn't been eating well. Her hair was a little bit tangled because she hadn't gotten the chance to brush it out yet – although, now that he thought about it, Cloud had a strange obsession with brushing her hair for her.

His temples throbbed again and his mind was playing a scene out: Zack, sneaking upstairs to try and catch Cloud and Tifa up to no good, only to burst through the door to see Tifa in between Cloud's legs, her back to his front, as he methodically brushed her hair out. Then Cloud's face burned brightly as Zack began to laugh out loud, completely surprised by his discovery.

"Cloud hasn't brushed your hair this morning," Zack said aloud, and Tifa looked surprised.

"You remember that now, do you?" she asked with a smile, her fingers going up to her hair and combing through the messiness.

"Bits and pieces are coming back," Zack shrugged, trying not to move his head too much. Even turning his head caused his head to ache more painfully.

"And you were dreaming about Aerith," Tifa said, making more of a statement than asking a question.

"Yeah. It was a bit weird. And as Cloud was waking me up, she said, 'This is my dream.' Which is a strange thing to say, since it was my dream, right?"

"Maybe you were both dreaming the same thing at the same time," Tifa said with a laugh as Cloud walked back into the room, three steaming bowls of oatmeal balanced precariously in his arms.

"Breakfast!" Cloud said, and Tifa relieved him of one of the bowls, allowing Cloud to hand another bowl to Zack.

"Hey Cloud, who was Aerith to me?" he asked, shoveling some of the oatmeal into his mouth. Cinnamon. Mmm.

"I thought I said not to waste your time on her," Cloud snorted, disgruntled. He mushed his oatmeal around in his bowl.

"Gah," Zack replied thickly as he swallowed his food. "Why won't you two tell me about her?" he asked, watching as they exchanged glances. "We kissed in my dream," he said, fighting down a blush. "Was she my girlfriend?" Zack thought of how angry Cloud had been with Aerith too. "Wait, did she break up with me?" he blurted, feeling saddened at the thought. "Oh. Wait. You said she's the reason I ended up at Shinra...uh...she broke up with me and then I ran away to Midgar?" he theorized, realizing how lame it sounded.

Tifa chuckled, leaning back in her chair so she could prop her leg up on the side of his bed, wincing slightly as she jostled it. "She didn't break up with you...not really," she added vaguely.

"Aha. She was my girlfriend!" Zack exclaimed, happy to have figured out at least that part of the puzzle.

"For a bit," Cloud reluctantly revealed.

"Aw man," Zack moaned, his mind lingering on his dream kiss. It had felt so real – and quite nice, too. "Why aren't we, uh, together anymore?"

Again, Cloud and Tifa exchanged looks. He could tell they were having a silent conversation, speaking through their eyes and short nods or shakes of their heads. Tifa seemed to win the silent argument, though, because Cloud looked at her a bit resentfully before dropping his gaze.

"It just didn't work out," Tifa finally answered, and Zack got the feeling it wasn't the truth at all.

"Liar," he mumbled sullenly, mimicking Cloud and pushing his oatmeal around in his bowl.

"No, it's true. Things didn't work out," Cloud spoke up. "Maybe they would have, if only she hadn't-"

"Cloud!" Tifa reprimanded him, and he shut his mouth quickly.

"Sorry," he muttered to her out of the side of his mouth.

"Zack, really, it's best if you just don't worry about it. Either way, it doesn't affect where you are now."

"I bet it didn't work 'cause I'm dying," he said with a slightly mournful air, pouting a little. "I can't believe my two best friends -"  
"-Who you barely remember anyway," Cloud interjected.

"I'm starting to remember!" Zack added, before continuing. "Where was I? Oh right. I can't believe my two best friends won't even tell me about my ex-girlfriend." He added a dramatic sigh for effect. Cloud's resolve crumbled, much to his delight.

"Fine! I'll tell you!"

"Cloud, don't tell him," Tifa argued, but Cloud plowed on.

"Look, she came to Nibelheim on a mission. She works for Shinra!"

"What? I dated somebody from Shinra?" Zack asked sceptically. It was hard to imagine. If there was anything he remembered, it was that he loathed Shinra and everything to do with it. "Are you just yanking my chain?" he demanded.

"Honest truth," Cloud said, throwing his spoon down in his oatmeal with such force that a blob of it landed on his cheek. He brushed it away unconcernedly, continuing with his explanation. "Anyway, you two were gaga for each other from the start. Always staring at each other and smiling stupidly and blushing. It was actually kind of sickening-"

At this, Tifa hit him in the arm. Hard. He stifled his cry by biting his lip, glaring at Tifa as he did so.

"What was that for?"

"What do you mean it was sickening? It was cute."

"Right. If you say so," Cloud shrugged, rubbing at his arm. "You punch too hard, Tifa," he complained. "Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted," he said, shooting another pointed glare at Tifa. "You two started to date and then you got even more sicken- er, even more cute. But then Shinra came and found out you – that is, we – were the ones who roughed up the Shinra employees up at the mako reactor and arrested you. And she didn't even try to stop them!" he practically shouted. "And the look on your face...she may as well as stabbed you in the back."

And as Cloud told him this, the memories snapped into place with a satisfying click, but along with it came the pain of betrayal. He placed a hand over his chest, rubbing weakly at the sudden pain there. "Oh...right...I remember now."

He felt sick now, and he shoved the bowl of half-eaten oatmeal away from him. "I...I need some time to myself," Zack said in a low voice, unable to bear looking at his two best friends now. He didn't want them to see how weak he felt. He didn't need them to see the pain he was in.

He was glad that they got up without a fight and left him to his room alone.

* * *

To say that the reactor was bad off was and understatement. It was a disaster. The fires from the explosion had been doused, but without the life of the fires, the entire area seemed so...dead. Charred remains of the reactor lay ruined and twisted, great heaps of metal destroyed in one spectacular explosion.

"Hard to believe a couple of rebels did this," Cissnei said, her black suit looking pristine even as ash floated down around them. Aerith was dressed for work as well, wearing a suit similar to Cissnei's. She felt odd in the suit – she was more used to wearing dresses – but Shinra had insisted on it. They claimed her dresses were too noticeable, and that she might be targeted by AVALANCHE next. So they wanted to make her blend in, fade into the background, unnoticed.

_A bit difficult to do when I'm traveling with Sephiroth,_ she thought to herself, tugging at her cuffs. She made a face. She missed her dress, as silly as that seemed. The suit just seemed so stifling in comparison.

"We let ourselves grow sedate," Aerith replied, eyes scanning over the mess. Other SOLDIERS had already cleared away the bodies that had been left behind – none of them had been members of AVALANCHE. "It must have made it easy to sneak it." She shrugged, finding it odd that once upon a time she would have cared that somebody had sneaked into the reactor. It would have tarnished Shinra's reputation. But now she found herself thinking they deserved it, a little, knowing what she did about Zack and Sephiroth, and what Shinra had done to them. Now that she thought of it, actually, they had a lot to pay for what they'd done to _her_ as well, not that it compared to Sephiroth or Zack in any way.

"This is ridiculous," she said with a sigh. After she had woken from her strange, almost real dream, she'd been informed that she, Sephiroth, and Cissnei were to go to the explosion site and scout for any monsters that may have been awoken by the blast. Now, it was impeding her ability to go search for Zack. But obeying a direct order would just get her landed in confinement again, and then she wouldn't be able to look for him at all. And by then, he could be dead. "Why do we have to be here?" she complained.

"Shinra's afraid any monsters that may have awoken will be too strong for the others to handle. So, the responsibility has been given to us," Sephiroth answered frankly, but even he sounded skeptical.

Aerith personally thought it was the President's way of punishing them without creating more dissent in the ranks. Send his best people on a useless task to show that he was still in charge, no matter what anyone thought. She should have known she and Sephiroth would pay for their little rendezvous to Nibelheim. In fact, she wondered just how much President Shinra knew of their trip – did he know what they had discovered?

She was also sure that he suspected her involvement with Zack, and that he was purposefully delaying her. Perhaps that was just her being bitter, though. To vent her feelings, she kicked a rock forcefully, watching it tumble down the road, only to come to a stop as it hit more rubble.

They searched with a weary air, not really expecting to find anything at all. And there wasn't. "This is totally pointless," Aerith said, a bit savagely. She kicked another rock, biting back a cry when it didn't budge and bruised her foot instead. She deserved it, she supposed.

"Pointless or not, we'd better make one last sweep before we make our report to the President. He'll no doubt want a thorough one," Cissnei pointed out, and so Aerith followed them both grudgingly, feet shuffling along with reluctance.

In the midst of her sulking, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glow. It was at the center of the wreckage. Doing a quick calculation in her head, she reasoned that this would be about where the reactor normally would have been, had it not been blown sky high.

"Hey guys, wait," she called ahead, and Sephiroth and Cissnei both paused to turn and face her quizzically. "Look, a glow," she said, pointing to her right.

"Careful, Aerith," Sephiroth warned as she began to walk toward the light. "It could be toxic."

But Aerith didn't heed his warning, walking forward with sure-footed steps. She knew what it was before she actually saw it, but she gasped anyway, then laughed strangely, the sound foreign to her own ears. Sephiroth and Cissnei stopped behind her, and she took their silence for their own shock.

"A mako pool," Aerith said as her laughter subsided. "The explosion turned the reactor into a natural mako pool."

"The mako is no longer being harnessed to power the city," Sephiroth said slowly as his brain processed the new information. "It must have allowed a pool to be created."

As he spoke, Aerith laughed some more, feeling like she was on the edge of hysteria. But she was happy, too. _This_ was how she would find Zack. _Take him to the mako pool,_ her mother had said to her in her dream. This had to be the mako pool. She didn't have to go looking for Zack, she realized, because eventually he would have to come here. He would come to her. And from there, she would save him. Somehow.

Then she sobered up, her laughter falling away. The mako pool presented another problem. If they included it's discovery in their report, Shinra would look to monopolize on the opportunity to harness more pure mako energy for their own purposes. If they didn't report the pool, there would be no reason for her to investigate at the explosion site anymore, and thus have no valid reason to be there. Shinra would send her off on some other pointless mission, in all likelihood.

At the same time, she couldn't report the pool – even if she had a reason for being there, so would several other people, and Zack would never show up if there were that many people around. Or if he did, he'd immediately be arrested, and they'd all be back where they started.

To make her problems worse, she knew that natural mako pools like this were prone to attracting stronger monsters, just as Shinra feared. She imagined Zack, weakened and tired, trying to make it to this mako pool, only to find a horde of monsters that would descend upon him and ravage him, leaving his broken, torn body behind. She shuddered and blinked rapidly to erase the image.

The other two remained silent as she came to a decision. She would just have to keep an eye on the pool herself, watching both for monsters and Zack, consequences be damned.

"We don't mention this in the report," Aerith said crisply, and to her relief, neither of her friends argued. Maybe they had even come to the same conclusion as her.

And so an hour later as they briefed the President, no mention was made of the newly formed mako pool.

"The area has been devastated, naturally," Sephiroth said smoothly; he was able to keep his composure much better under pressure. Aerith had the tendency to give herself away in small, nervous habits. "However, Aerith has volunteered to keep an eye out on the area, in case anything is drawn to the wreckage – you know how these monsters are, after all," Sephiroth said with an expansive gesture, smiling knowingly. "If we let them sink their claws into the city, they'll take over."

"Hmmm," President Shinra mused, one incredibly thick blonde eyebrow rising, only to fall back down a moment later. "I see...and Aerith volunteered? How...generous," he said, giving her a pointed look.

"It would be my pleasure," Aerith said, studiously avoiding his gaze, instead focusing on his mustache. It was impressive, she had to admit. He continued to give her a calculating look, and Aerith felt a sinking sensation in her gut. He knew, somehow he knew that they were lying, even though nothing Sephiroth had done would have given them away.

"Very well," he said with a dismissing wave of his hand, and Aerith let out a small breath of relief. "I trust you don't need assistance?" he asked, now facing away from her and out the expansive window in his office, overlooking Midgar.

"Oh, no sir. I've got it covered," she said, lying more easily now that he wasn't facing her.

"Excellent. You may go," he said, but much to Aerith's chagrin, he stopped her as the other two were leaving.

"Aerith," he began, still gazing outside at Midgar.

"Er, yes sir?" she asked, shooting a desperate glance at the other two, who shrugged helplessly and departed, closing the door behind them.

"If you happen to see the prisoner on your rounds of the slums, do your duty," he said flatly, swiveling in his chair to face her now, his face blank.

"Ah..." she said, feeling a bit of sweat bead up at her hairline.

"Capture him; if that fails, kill him."

Aerith swallowed, her heart pounding a rhythm in her chest. She cleared her throat, trying to get it to unstick.

"Is that really necessary sir?" she asked boldly, and his face fell in a frown, his chin melting into his neck to create a revolting blob of fat in its wake.

"Follow your orders, Aerith," he said plainly. "Or risk being marked a traitor to Shinra." He didn't say it in so many words, but the threat was clear. Kill Zack, or be killed herself. Now she met his eyes, seeing the ugliness in them. Power had corrupted this man, and now he sat, fat and lazy, in a swiveling chair, lording over all of Midgar. She had no answer for him; she could not kill Zack. To tell him that now would result in her own death. But she found she would rather die than betray Zack again. She would do her utmost to save him first, though.

So she stood, at an impasse with her employer, until he finally turned away again, and she took his inaction as her cue to leave. She closed the door behind her with shaky hands, wondering when all of this was over, if she would still be alive.

* * *

As the days rapidly turned into a week, Zack found himself growing weaker and more ill with each passing hour, and despite Cloud and Tifa's efforts to keep him in good spirits, he was becoming disheartened as well. When they would eventually leave him alone, he allowed himself to mope. When they were around, he did his best to appear as cheerful as they wanted him to be, although he thought he must have been doing a poor job since they kept coming back to cheer him up again.

The only good thing happening to him was the recalling of his memories. They slipped neatly back into place, as though they'd gone on a brief vacation and were coming back home again. Zack was convinced that his memory loss was due to whatever Shinra had injected him with, and now that it was wearing away, he could remember again.

_At least,_ he mused, _I will remember everything about my best friends before I go. _Zack knew how terrible he would feel if either Tifa or Cloud were dying and couldn't remember him. He also knew they were growing desperate, though. They had come all this way to save him, and even though he had miraculously evaded Shinra, he was dying again, with no way to get back home to heal himself. It must have been very frustrating for them, he thought.

He had spoken briefly with Barret, the owner of the bar they were hiding out in, and the leader of AVALANCHE. The man, while gruff at first appearance, had been rather impressed with Zack for escaping Shinra. Zack guessed that maybe Barret wanted Zack to help them in another attack on Shinra, but once he had learned that Zack wasn't well, the topic was never brought up, belying a tactfulness Zack wouldn't have guessed the older man had.

If Barret was impressed with Zack, it was nothing compared to how shocked Zack was with Cloud and Tifa. It disturbed him to think of Cloud and Tifa fighting off soldiers with guns. Cloud had actually killed someone. Now, no matter if Zack wanted to, he could never picture Cloud the same again. The act of taking a human life had irrevocably changed him, turning him into a man.

"I was protecting Tifa," was all Cloud had to say on the matter when Zack asked, and he got the feeling that it bothered Cloud more than he wanted to let on. Tifa too was very close-mouthed on the issue, preferring to remain vague and evasive. So he didn't push them, just as they didn't push him on talking about Aerith.

Although Zack was free to roam the bar, he opted to stay hidden away. If he was seen by anybody from Shinra in the bar, he knew he'd be too weak to hold them off again, and there was no way in hell that he was going back to that prison. Tifa and Cloud were staying hidden away too – in fact, most of AVALANCHE was staying under the radar. Most of Shinra was up in arms, searching the streets for the rebels, according to a few eye-witnesses. Zack knew Tifa was frustrated with having to sit still because of her leg, and Cloud was even more antsy. He wanted to get outside, and even more, get away from Midgar and go back home.

That just wasn't an option though.

Zack picked at his blanket glumly, sitting cross legged on the bed. He thought this made him look less like an invalid if he was sitting up rather than lying down in bed all day, but even the effort of sitting up for more than an hour tired him out.

He heard the door creak open and looked up, expecting to see Cloud or Tifa, or both, coming to cheer him up again, but instead there was a little girl, carrying a bowl of chicken noodle soup, an intense expression of concentration on her face. In fact, her tongue was poking out of the corner of her mouth as she walked slowly, being certain no drop spilled.

"Hello," Zack said, surprised to see this young girl in his room. She was maybe 4 years old, her brown hair pulled back into pig tails, and her small dress a pastel pink color. As he spoke, she took her eyes off the bowl and looked up at him with wide brown eyes, biting her lip.

"Hi," she replied, her little hands still gripping the soup bowl.

"Is that for me?" Zack asked her kindly, peering back at her. She nodded, then resumed her careful walking over his bed. She handed it up to him, and he took it thankfully, smiling at her. "Did you make this all by yourself?" he asked.

"I helped," she told him seriously. "Tifa said you were sick. So I...I made you soup."

"Well thank you," he told her, and she beamed at him. "Would you like to sit up here with me?" She nodded again, this time eagerly, and with one arm and lifted her up onto the bed. She squealed, giggling as he set her down again.

"You are strong!" she exclaimed.

"So, you know Tifa?" he asked her. She peered at him almost shyly from under her bangs, then her rosy lips formed into a quick smile.

"Yes, I met her before, and she is very pretty," the little girl said. "I like her."

"Me too," Zack grinned. "She's one of my bestest friends ever!" He blew on his hot soup, then took a slurp from his spoon. "Wow, this is really good."

"I made it with a secret 'gredient," she said, smiling at him toothily now.

"Oh yeah?"

"Uh huh!"

"What is it?"

"Can't tell you, it's a secret!" she said, her tone serious. It was as good as a "Well, duh" from a four year old.

"Oh. Well, can you tell me your name?" Zack asked her, realizing he didn't know the girl's name yet.

"I'm Marlene," she said. "Tifa said you are Zack." She patted his arm with her small hand.

"Yeah, that's my name. It's really nice to meet you Marlene. And thank you for the delicious soup."

This brought the biggest smile yet to her face, and she stood up on the bed, bringing herself eye to eye with Zack.

"You have glowy eyes," she stated, grasping his face with her slightly sticky hands. "Why are they so glowy? Tifa's friend has glowy eyes too," she gabbed, absolutely talkative now.

"Well," Zack started, but Marlene kept talking.

"I saw Tifa and her friend..." she paused, smiling like she had a secret. She leaned in closer to him, and he tilted his ear to her mouth so she could tell him. "They were kissing!" she whispered loudly, and then she giggled, slapping her hand over her mouth.

"Ewww!" Zack exclaimed, hiding a grin.

"Ick!" she agreed. "Boys have cooties!"

"I know," Zack nodded his head, sighing dramatically.

"Eat your soup," she said suddenly, plopping himself down in his lap. He awkwardly shifted, bringing his arms around her so that he could hold the bowl and not hit her in the face with it. He obediently took another bite of his soup, which had cooled significantly now. The warmth ran down his throat and into his stomach, and he thought it was making him feel a little better. Or maybe it was the bright-eyed intelligent girl in his lap, who was babbling away now about nonsensical things that he couldn't quite comprehend. He nodded along anyway, encouraging her to talk.

At one point, his spoon dipping down back into the soup, she grabbed his hand with hers, forcing the spoon to her mouth.

"Can I have some?" she asked, then without waiting, she blew on it loudly, causing most of the soup to splatter back into the bowl (and with it, Zack was positive, some saliva as well), and then stuck the spoon in her mouth, slurping up the little soup that remained.

"Yum," she said, tilting her head backward into his chest so she could look up at him. "You don't look too sick. I won't get sick, will I?" She looked worried momentarily.

"No, what I have isn't contagious. You won't get it, I promise," he said. Her worry melted away into happy relief, and she took the spoon from his hand and started to eat the rest of his soup.

"Marlene!" a voice called up suddenly, followed by the sound of loud footsteps as boots thundered against wooden floors. Barret opened the door unceremoniously, pausing as he took in the scene.

"Hello," Zack said cheerfully, giving a little wave. "Marlene brought me soup."

"So that's where the soup went," Barret said, laughing in his gruff voice. Zack wondered if the soup had been meant for someone else; the idea made him chuckle.

"Hi Daddy!" Marlene squealed, wriggling around in Zack's lap. "It was good soup too! I had some!"

"Did you?" Barret asked, smiling at the little girl. Zack wondered momentarily how she was his daughter, but then realized it wasn't any of his concern. The looks of affection and love between the two was enough to show they cared about each other immensely.

"Uh huh," Marlene said again.

"Well, it's time for a bath, missy," Barret said sternly, but his voice lacked it's usual abrasiveness. "You were playing in the fridge again. I saw the jelly," he said, his bushy eyebrows waggling. Marlene giggled in a way that said she knew she'd been caught and was trying to play innocent. Zack realized now that her hands were sticky from jelly, and now it was all over his face. Somehow, he didn't mind though.

"Come on, you," Barret said, and Marlene crawled out of Zack's lap and hopped up, spinning to face him again.

"Thanks for sharing your soup," she said, amazingly polite for a four year old. Zack smiled at her.

"Thank you for bringing it to me, Marlene."

Then the little girl moved forward, grabbing his face again and planting a particularly wet kiss on his cheek. She pulled away, looking at him expectantly. When he didn't get the hint, she poked her cheek and puckered up her lips.

"What? I thought boys had cooties," Zack teased.

"Not you. You are my friend," she said simply. So he obliged and kissed her on the cheek, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, her grubby hands resting at the nape of his neck.

"I'm gonna tell Tifa you gives me a kiss," she giggled again, and he tickled her ribs. She squealed and pulled away, then hopped along the length of the bed and leaped straight into Barret's arms.

"Bath time," she announced and she tweaked his nose, causing Barret to give a deep belly laugh.

"Thanks for keeping an eye on her," Barret said awkwardly as his laughter subsided. "She can be a handful sometimes."

"It was fine. She was the perfect guest," Zack shrugged, leaning back and setting his empty soup bowl on the bedside table.

"Bye Zack!" Marlene shouted, then wriggled out of her dad's grasp and ran out of the room, squealing with more laughter as Barret thundered after her, roaring playfully.

As they left, Cloud slipped into the room, a smile on his face. "I haven't seen you looking this happy in a long time."

"Well, I had about the best soup ever right now," Zack shrugged, unable to stop grinning. His face was even beginning to ache a little, but he was too happy to stop.

"She's a funny little girl, isn't she?" Cloud asked, taking seat in one of the nearby chairs.

"Yeah, and she caught you and Tifa kissing," Zack laughed. "She told me so." At this, Cloud blushed a little, but shrugged.

"Like I said, she's a funny little girl. Curious. Always asking questions. And she doesn't understand how to knock," he said, scratching at the back of his neck.

"Oh god, you two could have scarred her for life!" Zack began to laugh until his belly ached and his eyes streamed. For some reason, the thought was incredibly funny. "You two were...hahaha...caught by a four...four...four year old!" he gasped out.

"Oh shut up," Cloud said, swiping Zack's pillow and hitting him with it. "It was only a little kiss after all."

"You two are going to have the kids that walk in on their parents having sex, aren't you?" Zack asked, wiping at his eyes.

"What? No we're not!" Cloud yelped, blushing all the way down to his neck.

"You are. You won't be able to control yourselves. Then bam, your son or daughter will just walk in on you-"

Cloud covered Zack's mouth with his hand, glaring down at him. "Who says we're even having kids?" Cloud demanded, his face still bright red.

"Ogkorfuvill."

"What?" Cloud asked, removing his hand from Zack's mouth.

"Of course you will. Tifa's already practically a mother, taking care of us all the time. It's only natural that she'll want kids. Especially with you." Zack grinned wryly, this it faded away as he grew serious again. "You think you'll name one after me? You know...and tell them all about their Uncle Zack?"

"Ah come on," Cloud said uncomfortably. "You'll be there to tell them yourself."

Zack shrugged gloomily, his good mood evaporating. "Yeah, maybe."

"You _will_."

"...say I'm not though. Promise me you'll name your firstborn after me. Even if it's a girl," he added, smirking.

"What? What kind of name is Zack for a girl?" Cloud asked, clearly picking up on Zack's attempt to turn the conversation humorous again.

"It could be short for...Zackarina."

"Zackarina? You're insane," Cloud laughed.

"Ah well. I tried," Zack chuckled and leaned back into his pillow, closing his eyes as a sudden wave of fatigue washed over him. "I'm just gonna...take a nap," Zack murmured.

"Alright," Cloud said. Zack was asleep before Cloud left the room.

* * *

Tifa was narrowly missed as a giggling little girl shot past her, hair dripping wet, stark naked. Barret was chasing after her, part of his shirt soaked, his brow dripping with water. Marlene continued to laugh as she ducked behind Tifa's leg, holding onto it as she peered out from behind it at her dad.

"Save me, Tifa!" she said, her voice high and full of excitement.

Tifa laughed, craning her neck back so she could look down on the excitable little girl. "Where are your clothes, Marlene?"

"I took a bath," she said simply, clinging to Tifa's leg.

"And now it's her bed time," Barret said, a pair of rumpled pajamas in his large hand.  
"How about I help her get ready for bed?" Tifa offered.

Marlene gasped and released her leg, gazing up at her with ecstatic wonder. "Will you tell me a bed time story?" she demanded.

"Certainly," Tifa nodded, kneeling down so she was on the little girl's level. She winced as her wound throbbed, but she ignored the pain. Marlene was incredibly perceptive though, and she frowned, her lower lip pouting out as she gazed down at Tifa's injured leg.

"Does it hurt?" she asked, pointing to the white bandage.

"A little," Tifa admitted. Marlene leaned forward and kissed Tifa's knee.

"Better?" she asked, and Tifa smiled, the small action warming her.

"Much better. Thank you. Here Barret, I'll get her into bed and properly dressed. You can go dry off," she added with a laugh. The large man tried to glare menacingly at her, but after the weeks of staying with him, Tifa no longer feared him, having realized he was just a big softy, especially when it came to Marlene.

"Fine," Barret sighed, handing over the clothes. "I'm tired from chasing her around anyway. Good luck to you," he added.

Much to his chagrin, Marlene was all too eager to get into her pajamas now that Tifa was helping her; once she was properly dressed and her hair patted dry with a towel, she impatiently tugged at Tifa's hand, leading her to her bedroom.

"What kind of story are you going to tell me?" Marlene demanded, crawling into her bed and snuggling under the covers.

"What kind of story would you like?" Tifa asked kindly. Marlene shifted over in her small bed and lifted her covers up, patting the empty space expectantly. Tifa climbed in, one leg hanging off the bed awkwardly, but Marlene was happy just the same.

"Tell me a story about Zack," she gushed, grinning. "He gived me a kiss today, just like you and your friend," she said.

Tifa laughed. Marlene had walked in on her and Cloud the other day sharing a chaste kiss, but the little girl had squealed and made it known that she was grossed out.

"Is Zack your boyfriend now?" she smiled indulgently.

"Like you and Cloud?" Marlene asked, contemplating Tifa's question seriously. Then she grinned again, looking quite mischievous. "Uh huh," she nodded quickly. "He's my boyfriend now. And I wanna hear a story 'bout him!"

And so Tifa wove a story about how Zack was a prince who had come to rescue the princess (who just happened to be named Marlene) and save the world from the evil wizard, Shin Ra.

The story was improved greatly by Marlene's tendency to interrupt Tifa's storytelling, but by the time her story drew to an end, Marlene was already sleepy-eyed.

"So, how do you think the story ends?" Tifa asked quietly.

"Zack marries the princess and..." she paused, yawning widely. "And...he gets her a puppy...and a pony...and..." Then the little girl was asleep. Tifa grinned and slid out of the bed carefully, then drew the comforter's up to Marlene's chin. The little girl shifted, but didn't wake, gripping her stuffed animal in her arms tightly.

"I see she's got somebody else wrapped around her finger, too," Barret said, his voice oddly low as he spoke quietly to keep from waking Marlene. Tifa smiled, holding her finger up to her lips, then tiptoed out of the room, shutting the door softly behind her.

"Well, she's absolutely adorable," Tifa said.

"Yeah. She's real sweet," Barret agreed with a oddly distant look on his face, as though he were remembering something. "She's one of the good things about Midgar. There aren't a lot of them, ya know?" he said, scratching at his beard.

"I should warn you, she's infatuated with Zack now," Tifa said with a giggle. "Apparently he made quite the impression on her."

Barret made a choked laugh. "Yeah, well, she was the one who insisted on bringing him soup. It's weird, cause she's usually shy around strangers."

"Zack just looks trustworthy that way," Tifa assured him. "He's...charming, let's say," she grinned.

They stood there in an uncomfortable silence, Tifa shifting restlessly, ignoring the shooting pain in her leg when she put too much pressure on it. After years of martial arts training, coupled with the rough traveling she and Cloud had done to get to Midgar, sitting around for two weeks was making her rather restless. She wished her damned leg would heal already.

As if reading her mind, or in any case, catching onto her train of thought, Barret asked her how her leg was doing.

"It's getting better," she said, showing him how she could stretch the leg more now without the pain crippling her. She knew she still had a long way to go before her leg was back to normal though – if it ever went back to normal. It was a fear she didn't like to think about. She had to believe that she would get better again. Besides, who was she to complain about a wounded leg when her best friend lay dying in a bed, far away from his home and his mother?

"Well, take it easy, Tifa," Barret said, in an unusual display of kindness. "You don't want to go reopening the wound."  
"...Thanks, Barret. I'll be careful. Trust me, it's hard not to be when Cloud's popping up every second to make sure I'm not overworking myself. Come to think of it, I haven't seen Cloud for a while..." she said, while peering around the hallway, as if expecting Cloud to appear at the mentioning of his name.

"Oh, he left a while ago. Said he needed some air."

"And you just let him?" she asked, an edge of panic in her voice. What was Barret thinking, letting Cloud wander off into the slums of Midgar when there were SOLDIERS crawling everywhere?

"Relax. Nobody will recognize him. Nobody even knows him. He just needs some air – I think he was getting a bit stir crazy to be honest."

"I hope you're right," Tifa said, shaking her head, the dreadful feeling of worry seeping into her. She knew she'd never be able to fall asleep now, not with Cloud out doing who-knew-what. Still, she excused herself on the premise of tiredness, hobbling back to her bedroom to wait for Cloud to return. He'd certainly be getting an earful from her when he got back, though.

* * *

While the air certainly couldn't be considered fresh by any standards, Cloud was immensely relieved to escape the confines of the bar. He walked the streets of the slum with a restless energy, his legs leading him aimlessly. Barret hadn't tried to stop him when he left, but he did give him a weapon.

"You don't seem much like the gun type, Spike," he'd said, continuing in his infuriating manner to refer to Cloud as 'Spike' rather than by his given name. Cloud's jaw had twitched in irritation, but he refrained from commenting on it. As Tifa would tell him, to get riled up would only encourage Barret more. "But we do have a few weapons stockpiled...never know when you might need 'em," Barret had added with a shrug. Cloud had picked up a slim sword; it was nothing compared to the buster sword Zack had, but it would do in a pinch. It wasn't unusual for the people of the slums to be armed, so even carrying a sword around, Cloud didn't look out of place.

The slums weren't known for being grandiose, so it came as no surprise that the dirty streets were poorly lit. Most of the lights that had been built didn't work, or if they did, they flickered on and off eerily, humming in the night air. Cloud tried not to feel nervous about walking the streets at night, assuring himself that nobody would see him as a threat. He couldn't help but notice the hungry looking people that tripped and stumbled along, and feeling sorry for them. What was Shinra playing at, really?

Without realizing it, Cloud's feet had led him back to the destruction of the sector he had helped create. Maybe it was because it was one of the few paths he had walked in Midgar, and subconsciously he had known familiarity in it. He grew more cautious as he drew nearer; he knew he should turn around and leave, but something seemed to draw him in. Maybe it was a bit of guilt playing part, but he had to see what he and AVALANCHE had done.

He was almost surprised to see how much rubble there was. Jesse's bomb had worked better than he could have anticipated. The ground was covered in ash, making the area look like the dirtiest snow ever had fallen and left a thick blanket behind. It seemed to swallow up all the sound, too, muffling Cloud's footsteps as he walked, plumes of ash billowing around his feet as he went.

The closer he got to the center of the explosion, the harder it became to navigate due to all the metal and debris. He climbed over one scorched plate, landing with a thump on the other side when his eye caught a hint of a glow off to the side. For the most part, it was intensely dark in the area, with a few lights set out by SOLDIERS and Shinra to investigate the area, Cloud assumed. They were hardly enough to light the area up, but just enough to make a path visible along ground. So the green light was an oddity, though Cloud thought it looked rather familiar, too.

He changed direction and headed toward the light, pausing frequently as his overactive imagination caused him to see things and hear things that weren't really there, his heart pounding in his chest as adrenaline rushed through him. When he finally climbed through the debris, he stopped, shocked. Glowing green and pouring from the ground was a natural mako spring, born from the wreckage, using the cratered ground as a pool. The mako splashed gently into itself as it gushed forth from the planet and settled into its hole.

What were the chances that the mako reactor they had blown up would transform into just the thing Zack needed? Slim. But it seemed to Cloud that maybe fate was giving Zack another chance, and here it was, gurgling in front of him. It was a sign – and quite possibly, a trap. But the risks were worth taking, Cloud knew, because it would delay Zack's death further.

Feeling he'd wasted enough time gawking at the mako site, he backtracked quickly, picking his way over the same rubble again until he reached a clearing. This time, it looked wholly unfamiliar though, and he realized somewhere along the way, he had taken a wrong turn. He hoped it would be easier to navigate out in the open rather than through piles of rubbish, so he continued on.

A rustling sound behind him alerted him and made him pause. This time he was sure that it was a real sound, not one his mind had conjured up in his paranoia. He was still taken by surprise when three smallish, fat monsters hopped out at him, purple tongues lolling disgustingly out of their mouths, sharp teeth pointed and numerous. They appeared to be grinning at him as they hopped around.

Cloud stifled a surprised yell and reached for his sword clumsily, which had fallen to the dirt when the monsters had startled him. He gripped the handle firmly and then swung at them wildly, driving a few back. They made a strange hissing noise, and their gleaming eyes narrowed at him. Cloud swallowed, trying to remain calm. It was true that he had dealt with a few monsters before on Mt. Nibel, but that didn't make him feel less nervous. He was still confident her could handle the three though...

His optimistic thoughts popped when more of the creatures appeared, surrounding him while they hopped eerily. Apparently they were the kind of monster to travel in packs. Just his luck.

Knowing full well that he'd be outnumbered if he tried to fight them all off, he made the choice to take down the ones in his way and make a run for it. He waited until one of the ugly things stopped hopping and made a swift stab in it's direction, succeeding in skewering it through its protruding belly. Greenish blood soaked the blade and Cloud withdrew it, having to use his foot to pry the dead monster off his blade. He made a hasty swipe at another monster that had leaped toward him in his attack, managing to hack off an arm. The beast made an unearthly squeal of pain, distracting the others just long enough for Cloud to get his legs pumping and take off.

He ran wildly, leaping over fallen objects in the road, sword swinging in his hand dangerously as his arms flailed. There certainly wasn't any grace to his escape run – he was running off pure instinct, which was screaming at him to get to safety. His eyes focused on a dilapidated building up ahead, and he put on another burst of speed in case the monsters were still on his trail. As he reached the heavy doors of the building, he thrust his shoulder into one of them (which would leave an unsightly bruise later, he was sure) and practically fell inside. He closed the door quickly behind him, praying he had lost their trail.

"Are you o-" a voice started, then stopped abruptly. "Cloud?"

Cloud scrambled around, eyes wide. He was in some sort of old church, he guessed, if the empty pews were anything to go by. In the center of the church was a circular patch of flowers, and in the center of those, one person he recognized all too well. Aerith.

"Shit," Cloud breathed quietly, holding the sword out unsteadily in front of him. He knew he wouldn't be a match for her in a fight, but maybe he could buy himself some time and escape.

"Cloud, what are you doing in Midgar?" Aerith demanded, brushing dirt off her dress. She stood cautiously, still apparently in shock. When he didn't answer her, she took a step toward him, and he shook his head violently.

"Stay away," he said, trying to sound brave, but there was a tremor in his voice in spite of himself.

"Cloud, I won't hurt you..."

"Yeah, just like you didn't hurt Zack?" Cloud asked viciously, the anger of her betrayal stinging through him as sharply as it did on the day it happened.

"Do you know where he is?" she asked, her eyes widening. Cloud knew he had to lie. If she knew he was alive, no doubt she'd have to track him down and bring him back to Shinra.

"He's probably dead, thanks to you," he said, his voice barely controlled. She frowned at him, a guilty look passing over her face. Just as quickly, though, it was gone.

"Cloud, please...I'm just trying to help. I swear."

Cloud shook his head again, unwilling to believe her, no matter what Tifa thought about her. It all boiled down to the fact that she had taken Zack to Shinra. She hadn't stopped it, at least.

"How could you do it?" he asked, his whisper almost choked by his anger and anguish. "He...we...thought you were our friend."

"I am!" Aerith shouted, her expression changing to one of hurt.

"Friends...friends don't do that," Cloud muttered. "They don't. They back each other up, no matter what. But you wouldn't know that, I guess. You are a SOLDIER, after all." He had meant it as an insult, and it was clear that Aerith took it as such. Her eyes looked suspiciously bright, and for a moment, Cloud thought she might cry. Instead, she swallowed hard, staring down at the flowers.

"If you really believed Zack was dead, you wouldn't be here still," she said softly. She looked up again to meet his eyes, her green eyes glowing in the half-dark. "Maybe you don't know where he is, or maybe you do, but I promise you Cloud, I only want to help him. And only I have his cure."

"I can't believe you," Cloud said sadly, his anger fading way to sorrow. "You can't just expect me to trust you. Not after that."

"I'm sorry. So sorry. I don't know what else to do...so I guess I'll just have to show you and regain your trust."

Cloud's arm was burning now from having held his sword up, pointed at Aerith the entire time they'd talked. He let it drop slightly, watching her warily in case she made a move.

"Go, Cloud. Whatever was chasing you is probably gone by now," she said, her eyes flicking to the door.

"How do I know you won't follow me?" Cloud asked suspiciously.

"...Knock me out," she suggested. He hesitated though. No matter how upset he was with Aerith, it still wasn't right to knock her out. Cloud thought of what Zack would say if he'd learned what had been done.

"No, I won't hit you."

"Then tie me up," she said. "There's some spare rope on that pew there," she pointed. Cloud shuffled over to the pew awkwardly, never turning his back on Aerith. She merely held her hands behind her back, looking at him expectantly. He continued his awkward shuffle over to her, the rope held loosely in one hand, his sword tightly in the other.

"Don't step on the flowers," she said as he neared her; it was a strange request, but he did as she said anyway, avoiding every flower in the soil. Taking his sword, he cut the length of rope in half, dropping one part to her feet along with his sword. He rapidly reached out for her wrists and grabbed them in case she decided to act now that he had dropped his weapon, but she stood stock still. He bound her wrists together, then knelt down and did the same to her ankles. Now it would be impossible for her to run after him.

Even after all she had done to them, she had gained a little bit of his trust back by allowing him to tie her up, so Cloud relented and helped her over to a pew to sit down. It would be uncomfortable standing there the whole time, he reasoned, and he wasn't a cold-hearted guy.

As he backed away from her and retrieved his weapon, he paused again, watching her. She continued to sit impassively, her eyes locked onto him.

"Thank you," he said finally, and she shrugged and nodded at him. Then he left, running back to the bar to tell everyone the news.

* * *

As soon as Cloud left the church, Aerith conjured up some fire to burn away the rope he'd tied her up with, rubbing at her wrists absently as they released. He'd been gentle, actually, tying her up, and she knew if she had actually put up a struggle, he wouldn't have been able to stop her. His gentleness, though, gave her hope – because even though he was mad, he wasn't mad enough to try and hurt her.

Seeing Cloud had stirred all the hope in her, it seemed; seeing him in Midgar seemed to solidify that Zack would be okay, because she knew the lengths Cloud (and undoubtedly Tifa, too, though Aerith hadn't seen her yet) would do for Zack. If Cloud really thought Zack dead, he would have been much more distraught, leading Aerith to believe that either Cloud really didn't know where Zack was, or that he was somewhere nearby.

One other thing had caught her attention as well, making her grin. It was something she hadn't noticed until she, Sephiroth, and Cissnei had left the site of the explosion, but when she looked at Sephiroth, she noticed a strange, faint glow about his person, like mako residue. There wasn't anything surrounding Cissnei, so Aerith concluded that the mako was somehow attracted to those who'd already been touched by mako. While Sephiroth had technically been given mako injections to make him stronger, she suspected it was his DNA at work again.

When she'd looked down at her own arms, she could also see the same glow, but when she asked Sephiroth about it, he claimed to have seen nothing. It was peculiar, but it had turned out to be a useful little ability; when Cloud had showed up panting in her church, she recognized the faint glow for what it was and put two and two together. Cloud had been to the mako fountain, and she knew he was smart enough to realize the potential of it. The one thing in Midgar that would help Zack stay alive a little longer.

She prayed that when the time came, Cloud would trust her to do what she needed to in order to cure Zack for good. If she could ever figure out what that was, that is.

* * *

**A/N: Alright folks, 16,000 words later, I've finished yet another chapter, and probably my longest one yet. In fact, I'm positive it's the longest chapter I've ever written period. Yay me. I was going to write more, but I decided I had to pick an ending point. What I had originally planned to happen in this chapter will be moved to the next chapter, because there's still a lot that I imagined happening. Some parts of the chapter just ballooned on me, especially the scene with Marlene. That one kind of came out of the blue, but I hope you all enjoy it. Marlene was fun to write. I had to think of my little brothers a bit, who are both six now, but very smart, too. I imagined Marlene much the same way. **

** Anyway, do me a favor and review, yeah? As a little present to me for writing a long ass chapter, and for not taking half a year to update. (: Thanks for reading folks! **


	14. Pretending

**Chapter 13: Pretending**

_I know that we're okay, but I worry all the same_

_I know that you are strong, but you don't always have to be_

_'Cause it's one thing to say everything will be okay_

_And quite another thing to believe it_

_I know that sometimes things can get so rough_

_And I know that sometimes words are not enough_

_And I know it's been a hard year..._

_**Chase Coy, "Anniversary"**_

_ BAM! THUMP!_

"Ow!" Zack cried out as he sat up so fast he nearly got whiplash. He squinted into the sudden brightness, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Good, you're up," Cloud said, having just burst into the room and slamming the door into the wall behind it.

"Well yeah," Zack said exasperatedly. "How could I not be with the noise you're making?"

"I have something really important to tell you-"

"Cloud! Where have you been?" Tifa demanded as she appeared behind Cloud, looking quite stern. "I was worried about you."

"Sorry. Went for a walk," Cloud muttered sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "Look, I found something important though."

"What?" Zack asked, wondering what could be so important to ruin his sleep.

"Well, I was on my walk, and I kind of ended up back at the reactor that we blew up."

"Cloud, was that smart?" Tifa sighed, shaking her head. "What if someone saw you? What if Shinra arrested you?"

"Sorry," Cloud shrugged. "It's a good thing I did though, otherwise I wouldn't have found the mako pool," he said, looking a bit smug as he announced his big news.

"Sorry, did you just say mako pool?" Zack asked, wondering if he'd misheard Cloud somehow. He rubbed his ear vigorously, making sure there wasn't a build-up of ear wax.

"You bet. We must've created one when the reactor was destroyed. That's what I would guess, at least," he said with another shrug.

"So..." Zack struggled a moment, his mind not quite able to grasp what was being said.

"Cloud means you can heal up before we have to go back to Nibelheim!" Tifa burst out before his brain could catch up with his mouth.

"I know," he said, staring at the wall in front of him. "It's just...I don't think we should leave."

"What do you mean? You can't stay here and die, Zack," Tifa protested. Cloud nodded vehemently in agreement.

"No. I'll go to the mako pool, that will be fine -"

"Actually, we might have a problem," Cloud interrupted.

"What?" Zack asked in exasperation, tugging at his hair.

"I sort of...ran into Aerith."

Zack's eyebrows rose and disappeared behind his bangs. "Aerith? As in the Aerith we know? My girl...ex-girlfriend?" he asked, his heart throbbing painfully in his chest.

"Yeah, how many Aeriths do we know?" Cloud asked, giving him a pointed stare.

"Just clearing things up," Zack shrugged, waving his hand impatiently. "So what, you saw her...?"

"Yeah, well, she knows I'm here. Don't you think she'll be keeping an eye out on the mako pool?"

"We don't even know if she knows about it," Zack shot back.

"Come on, she's with Shinra. They had their SOLDIERs swarming the place days ago – she _has_ to know about it."

"Well," Zack began, starting to feel a little bit angry. Why would Cloud tell him about the mako pool only to shoot him back down again by telling him they couldn't go?

Tifa stepped in front of Cloud, holding her hands up. "We don't really have a choice. Zack needs to go."

"What about Shinra?" Cloud muttered.

"...Maybe Barret can help us," Zack suggested.

"Barret's done an awful lot for us already," Tifa sighed. "It doesn't seem right to ask him for more."

"But you helped him destroy a reactor," Zack pointed out.

"And then he let us stay here for free."

Zack chewed on his lip, thinking. He took a breath, hesitated, then put forward his next idea. "Then we can stay and help him again. Help AVALANCHE to finally stop Shinra."

"What?" Cloud spluttered, followed by Tifa talking over his muttering.

"We should really go back home..."

"I don't want to go back home!" Zack cried, sitting up straight, his head spinning at the quick movement. "I want to stop Shinra. We're finally here, not stuck miles away without the ability to do anything. And don't you think they deserve it? Look at what they've done to me!"

"Zack, this is bigger than a personal vendetta," Tifa argued, her cheeks growing flushed as her mouth set in a hard line.

"Fine! Look at what they do to their own citizens. Midgar is crushing the slums, and the people with it. Look at what they're doing to the planet, killing it off just so they can harness more energy! Aren't those good reasons?" Zack asked, his voice growing louder in his anger.

"What are we supposed to do? You're sick, I'm injured -"

"We help anyway we can! And...I'll be fine with the mako pool here. I'll stay strong. I'll be able to help – heck, I bet I'll be an asset to AVALANCHE!"

"Please, Zack!" Tifa pleaded, now looking distraught. Zack sighed, slapping his forehead and taking a deep breath to calm himself back down. He opened his mouth to speak, paused, shut it again, and then finally started.

"I...I won't ask you to stay. You and Cloud can go back home if you want. But I'm staying. I can't go home without knowing I tried to stop this. I won't be able to live with myself." He couldn't meet their eyes as he said this – he was afraid they wouldn't stay, but he knew he couldn't blame them if they left.

"We won't leave you here, Zack," Cloud said earnestly. "We came all the way here for you, after all."

"I guess," Zack shrugged. "I mean ,I know, but..."

"No buts," Tifa said, but she no longer sounded angry. He chanced a look at her, she was smiling at him. "We'll stay, Zack. But after we do this...I'd really like to sleep. At home. In my own bed," she said, giving him a pointed look. His face stretched into a grin so wide it hurt his cheeks.

"I'll carry you there personally," he said with a laugh.

"Hey, don't get any ideas now," Cloud retorted, trying and failing to give him a stern look. "If anyone's carrying Tifa, it's me."

"Pfft, I could carry you Cloud," Tifa said, hitting him in the arm.

"Great, you can carry me home then," Cloud chortled. She shook her head, but she hugged him anyway, pressing her cheek against his.

"Thanks guys," Zack said. "It...wouldn't have been the same without you."

"Well now. We can't let you get into mischief without us," Cloud said with a shrug and a grin.

* * *

Zack was awoken in the morning by a petulant looking girl. She was pouting and glaring at him.

"I wanna go on the train too!" she said, flopping on his stomach.

"Oof! Marlene!"

"Daddy says you're going on a train ride and I wanna go too, but he won't let me because he's a big meanie face!"

"Oh no! Not a meanie face," Zack mumbled in an exaggerated voice. He was still half asleep, but Marlene's insistent bouncing on his stomach and ribs was quickly waking him up.

"Yeah. Tell him to let me go!" she pleaded.

"I can't, Marlene," Zack said, grabbing hold of her so she would stop bouncing and knocking the wind out of him. "You can't come because...I'm bringing you back a surprise," he said slowly as the idea came to him. "You wouldn't want to ruin the surprise, would you?"

Marlene brightened instantly at the idea. "Oooh, you're gonna bring me a present?" she gushed.

"Of course, anything for my favorite girl," he said, smiling at her affectionately. Marlene really did have a way of growing on a person, he thought. "But I want it to be a surprise, like I said, so you can't come, okay?"

"Ummmmmmmm," she considered, pursing her little lips together. She was sporting pigtails today, and her brown eyes were shut tight as she "um'ed". "Okay!" she finally decided, grinning at him. "Look, Zack, I've got a loose toof." She stuck out her jaw and pushed her tongue against the loose tooth, making it wiggle back and forth.

"Wow! How much gil do you think the tooth fairy will leave you?"

"Well, it's a special toof, so prolly like a hundred gil," she said seriously.

"Sounds reasonable," Zack chuckled.

"Good morning, Marlene," Cloud said from the doorway, followed closely by Tifa.

"Hi Cloud," she said, twisting around to look at him. When she spotted Tifa she squealed in excitement and practically threw herself off Zack, narrowly avoiding a spot Zack would much rather not have stepped on. He sighed in relief as she missed, coming down hard on his thigh, then scrambling down the bed to attach herself to Tifa's leg. "Tifa!" she gushed.

"I see you woke Zack up," Tifa laughed.

"Yeah, he's bringing me a present he says, but it's a surprise, so I can't go with you on the train, but that's okay cause I'm gonna get a present," she said, very quickly, and all in one breath.

"Oh? That's nice of Zack."

"He's always nice," she said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. Then Barret's voice rang out loudly, calling for Marelene to come down to breakfast, and she took off down the stairs leaving Zack alone with Tifa and Cloud.

"Ready for today?" Cloud asked as Zack rose slowly, stretching his sore and tired muscles.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he shrugged in response. It had been decided that they would take the train to the ruined sector, but only because Zack could barely walk around the bar without tiring himself out. The train ride would take them to the nearest sector, in any case, and from there they would walk to the mako pool. It wasn't the best of plans, but they didn't have many other options. Barret had agreed to help them too, much to their relief. If Shinra really was waiting for them, then having members of AVALANCHE along would help greatly. Biggs and Wedge were staying behind though, to keep an eye on Marlene.

After Zack had dressed Cloud and Tifa had to help him down the stairs, much to his own humiliation. He could barely stand on his own two legs. He longed for the moment when he'd slip into that green pool and feel his strength return, even if it was only for a while. He hoped his health would last him long enough to see him through to the end of Shinra. If he was honest with himself, he didn't think he'd live to make it back home with Cloud and Tifa. It was a thought that worried at him, but he wanted to try and make the most of it, so he tried his best to keep smiling. It was harder than it sounded. On one occasion when he'd tried to smile, Cloud had informed him that he looked constipated. He stopped trying to fake it after that.

"You should eat," Tifa instructed him as the others ate with gusto at the breakfast that had been cooked up. He merely picked at his own, his appetite diminished by his bleak outlook and fatigue. He shrugged halfheartedly. "You need to keep your strength up," she added. Knowing she was watching him, he forced himself to eat a few bites of toast, but it tasted like cardboard in his mouth. He couldn't touch the scrambled eggs – the way they wiggled around made him feel nauseous.

The others were conversing around him, but his sense of hearing seemed to fade in and out, lost as he was in his own thoughts.

"Zack? Ready to go?" a voice asked him, and he had to refocus, blinking slowly. Cloud was standing next to him questioningly. "You okay?"

"Fine," Zack muttered, wondering just when everyone had finished eating. He really was out of it. "Just...yeah. Let's go."

Walk. Walk. Walk.

Every step Zack took was exhausting, but he tried not to let it show. Cloud and Tifa walked on either side of him, ready to catch him if he should fall. He thought he should be happy to have such great friends there for him, but instead he felt irritated. Was he really so pathetic?

_You are right now,_ he reminded himself. He made a face and forced himself to take another step. A rush of dizziness, and his eyes swam with black dots. A pair of strong arms caught him as he stumbled.

"Gotcha, Zack," Cloud said, grunting with the effort of holding him up. Everyone had to pause while Zack waited for his legs to function again, and he felt everyone's eyes on him. He tried his best to keep his flush of embarrassment under control.

It felt like a lifetime to get to the train, and Zack actually sagged in relief when the gleaming, black engine came into view. Everyone else was a bit nervous, he could tell, their eyes shifting to and fro, watching for danger, but Zack felt too _damn tired _to care. He closed his eyes, leaning heavily against a wall until the train whistled and they were allowed to board. He collapsed into his seat thankfully, staring out the window with half-lidded eyes, watching as the scenery flashed by.

For the first time, it registered in his mind how much more...industrial Midgar was.

_It's the city. Of course it's industrial, _he reminded himself. And although he'd dreamed about going to the city almost all his life, getting away from the country, he now found himself longing for the sweet, clean air of the mountains, the sound of leaves rustling in the trees as the wind blew. Instead, great metal atrocities towered around and above him, the sky a muddy gray color, and the air almost as poisonous as the city itself. He felt sad that he'd never see home again.

"Makes me miss home," Cloud's voice cut through the silence. He too was staring out the window, and had apparently been having thoughts similar to Zack's. "I didn't think I could miss the empty fields of Nibelheim, but I'd give anything for some space," he confessed.

"I know what you mean. I guess we'll always be country boys, huh, Cloud?" Zack asked, grinning weakly.

Cloud's mouth opened in reply, and at the same moment, the lights in the train car shut off, only to be replaced by flashing red lights.

"Unauthorized personnel aboard," a mechanical sounding voice sounded over the train's intercom, and Barret and Jesse stood up abruptly.

"Shit, they know we're aboard."

"What are you talking about?" Tifa asked worriedly.

"We just passed through a gate," Jesse answered, eyes darting around in distraction. "I didn't think they would have changed it yet..." she muttered, clearly talking to herself now.

"What are we going to do?" Cloud asked, staring directly at Barret.

"We jump kid," he grunted, and then swung open a sidecar door.

"But Zack-" Tifa began.

"I'll be fine," Zack interrupted, knowing full well a jump like that in his weakened state would probably kill him. But he wouldn't let his friends get caught by Shinra, not because of him. "Just go," he said; Jesse was already jumping out of the train.

"But," Tifa started to protest again, but Zack and Cloud shared a look. Cloud nodded, wrapping his arms around Tifa and taking her with him, his embrace protecting her from most of the jarring impact with the ground.

"After you kid," Barret said, gesturing to the door. Zack could hear the sound of feet pounding a path down the train to where they were. He stood, ignoring his dizziness, using both hands to brace himself against the frame of the open door. He stared at the rapidly passing ground, all the features a blur to his eyes. It made him realize how quickly they were traveling, and he almost second guessed himself. Then Barret was behind him, and Zack made himself jump.

If anything, Zack had envisioned leaping out of a speeding train in a much cooler way than it really happened. In his fantasy, he would have done a complex flip through the air before landing gracefully on his feet, looking the epitome of cool. What really happened was this: he flailed through the air, yelling wordlessly, then collided with the ground with such force that all the wind was knocked out of him, leaving him gaping uselessly like a fish out of water. He felt like one giant bruise, but he was alive. Miraculously. He only hoped everyone else was okay.

"You alright kid?" Barret was asking him, standing above him, and Zack had to wonder how the man was even standing. He tried to answer, to say that he was as right as rain, but instead he made a strangled sort of sound. The impact had apparently removed his ability to speak.

Barret chuckled. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Come on, they won't be far behind." Barret helped Zack up, who had trouble standing because his legs felt like jelly. "Can you walk?"

"Uh," Zack started, testing his body to make sure nothing was broken. It didn't appear so, but it was hard to tell with pain radiating from nearly every part of his body. He didn't get the chance to elaborate anymore as Barret shoved him down. Bullets whizzed overhead, just missing the both of them. Apparently, the guards had caught up already.

Adrenaline shot through Zack, alleviating some of the pain Zack was feeling, and granting him the strength to run. Barret took off back to where Cloud, Tifa, and Jesse were, and Zack was right behind him, running for all he was worth. Every breath felt sharp in his lungs, but he pushed himself forward, his muscles burning with lactic acid.

"Stop!" soldiers called out, only to shoot more bullets at them.

_Yeah right,_ Zack thought.

Despite his adrenaline, Zack was falling behind. The fact of the matter was that he was ill, and his body wasn't used to so much action recently. He'd spent weeks in bed. Dying men weren't supposed to be running for their lives.

The dirt in front of him exploded, and Zack sailed to the side. A solider had thrown a grenade, and it had gone off moments before Zack had reached it. He was lucky he'd been slowing. If he'd kept his pace, he would have reached the grenade just in time to get blown to bits.

He wasn't lucky enough to avoid more bruises, though, as he landed hard on the train tracks. Up ahead, Cloud had stopped to throw Tifa over his shoulder, as her bad leg was apparently acting up again. He glanced back at Zack and hesitated, looking torn.

"Go!" Zack shouted. "I'll find another way!" he said, already getting up and running in a different direction. He could hear Barret returning fire on the soldiers, heard their cries as they fell to the ground. He felt better, knowing Barret would make sure Cloud and Tifa were okay. He ran on, hoping to lose his pursuers.

His breath came out in ragged gasps now, and he could hear the soldiers closing in on him. At any moment, he expected to feel the burn of bullets in his back. He grunted as one finally did, ripping into his shoulder, jerking his body unceremoniously, sending him plummeting to the dirt.

_I'm going to die._ Zack thought, wishing fervently for his blade so he could at least fight back. But he could barely lift his own body off the ground, much less his buster sword. He closed his eyes, waiting for the moment the soldiers would catch up and put another bullet into his brain.

_No, just face them, _he told himself, gritting his teeth. If anything, he wanted to see death when it was coming. So he opened his eyes, glaring in what he hoped with a defiant way at the incoming soliders.

Instead, a familiar voice rang out, and he jerked his head around to look in the direction it had come from.

"Stop! President Shinra wants this man taken alive!"

Zack's heart constricted and nearly stopped as he gazed up at her face. He hadn't seen her in so long, except in his dreams. Somehow, she had gotten more beautiful in the time he'd been away. The sight of her filled him with longing, but also with dread. She was going to take him back. Back to Shinra. Back to a death trapped in that wretched building.

"No," he mumbled, gritting his teeth again as he started to belly crawl away. Maybe they wouldn't notice.

"Yes ma'm!" the soldiers chorused, and then a flowery scent enveloped Zack as Aerith stooped down to haul him off the ground. He was too weak even to resist. He was on the edge of panic and desperation, even as his body relaxed into her touch. What was she doing to him? Was it more magic, compelling him to give up the fight?

The thought made him loathe himself for not being able to resist it.

"I'll take it from here," she told them in a commanding voice, and Zack heard them hurry away, presumably after his friends. When their footsteps finally vanished, Aerith spoke.

"Zack...you're hurt."

A half sob burst from his lips, and he shook his head. He _couldn't _go back. He tried to tug away, but his attempts were fruitless. She only tightened her grip, not letting him leave.

"Shit. What do you want from me?" Zack asked, his voice anguished. He couldn't bear to look at her. To hear her voice speaking to him so softly, so sweetly. He hated himself for wanting to give in. The closeness of her almost did him in. He wanted so badly to melt into that warmth. He closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath. His shoulder burned with relentless pain and his head swam again. He was close to blacking out, he knew.

"I'm going to help you," he heard her say, but he couldn't hope to believe her. It was a trick...a trick...

His knees gave way beneath him and he went limp as the pain finally overwhelmed him.

* * *

The last thing Aerith had expected when she got the alert was to find Zack being chased down by infantrymen. She wondered what could have compelled Zack to get on the train when he could have walked. She knew he had been heading to the mako pool – what other reason would he have for traveling around the slums of Midgar – but surely he realized the train wouldn't take him all the way to the broken sector?

He couldn't have known though, that even the trains had methods of detecting unauthorized personnel headed toward the city. Shinra was paranoid, and rightly so. _Tyrants always were_, she thought grimly. After he had passed out in her arms, she had made the call. The infantrymen were to cease their chase, and let the Turks take over. Aerith had a feeling the other people who had escaped the train were none other than Cloud and Tifa. They wouldn't have let Zack go off alone, not when he was clearly so sick.

Luckily for her, and them, she could pull a few strings in the high ranks of the Turks, being one herself. Tseng gave the order, and Cissnei was now responsible for tracking the two and making sure they were safe. This wasn't knowledge shared amongst all of Shinra, naturally.

Confident that Cloud and Tifa were looked after, her next priority was to take Zack somewhere safe. She had no intention to bring him back to Shinra, after all. They would only make him prisoner again, only to kill him later on. So she had taken him to the only place she felt safe anymore – her church.

She was glad she had the strength to carry Zack the whole way, granted, he was much thinner than she remembered. When she finally arrived at the beat up old church, she laid him gently onto a pew, stepping back to take him in for the first time in a long time.

His hair was long, just like it had been in her dream, but his face was thin and somewhat pinched, his skin a little sallow. But he was alive.

_He won't be if you don't heal up that wound,_ she scolded herself, shaking herself into action. She knelt next to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, concentrating and letting her magic flow upward and out, commanding it to knit the muscle and flesh back together. It was a clean shot at least, and she didn't have to dig around for the bullet.

Moments later, the skin was warm and new, and she was happy to see a little color return to his cheeks as his blood loss stopped. Still, he slept.

Aerith took the opportunity to study him more, drinking in the sight of him. Unable to help herself, she traced her finger down the length of his nose, down to his lips, which were a little dry, like he'd been licking them too much. Her fingers left a path along his jaw and along his cheek bones. She pulled her hand away when his nose began to twitch. She hesitated, knowing he'd be mad when he woke up. He hadn't been exactly pleased to see her.

But she had sworn to herself that she would help him, even if he hated her. It was the least she owed him, after everything that had happened. Part of her wanted to wake him, to make him understand how sorry she was, how much she...cared about him. She just wanted to make him see that she was on his side now, no matter what. She knew he needed rest though.

She frowned as her eyes slid away from his face, seeing just how thin he really was now. She lifted his shirt hesitantly, and she had to smother a gasp as she saw a mass of bruises covering his body, his ribs sticking out prominently as his skin stretched tightly over them.

Aerith placed her hands on his chest, his heartbeat weak under her fingers.

_Heal, _she thought, watching as green magic swirled and sparked along his skin, erasing bruises as it went. She couldn't do anything for his malnourishment, though. When her magic had done its work, she pulled away wearily. Magic could only do so much – what he really needed was a good rest. So she cast one more spell, one compelling him to sleep, to ensure that he got the rest he needed.

She slipped away quietly, even though she knew he wouldn't wake. She would return with supplies, and then she'd start finding a way to cure him.

* * *

To their surprise, the soldiers had ceased their chase. Some unknown order had been called in, and they'd just picked up and left. Still, everyone had stayed hidden until they were sure the coast was clear, convinced it was a trick. And then they'd gone to the mako pool and waited. But Zack never showed, and dusk was creeping on them.

"No!" Cloud grunted and kicked a piece of metal rubble in the dirt. He frowned as he stubbed his toe, hissing in pain. "What if they got him?" he asked, holding his foot.

"I'm...I'm sure Zack's...okay," Tifa said feebly, and Cloud could see her heart wasn't in it. She was just as worried as he was.

"It's not...it's not fair!" Cloud said, and he felt like a child for saying it. But it was true. What had Zack ever done to deserve all of this?

"Look...I'm real sorry," Barret said. Cloud clenched his jaw and took a slow breath. The way Barret was looking at him, apologizing, it was like he already thought Zack was...

No. Cloud couldn't think about it. Thinking about it would only make it true. If he just refused to believe that Zack could be...well, then it couldn't happen.

"We should get back. I don't think he's coming," Jesse said. Cloud wanted to argue, to say they should wait just a few more minutes, but they'd already been waiting hours. Tifa's leg was as bad as ever after all the running she'd done, and he knew she was tired. Everyone was tired. Their adrenaline had worn off, and they were all frazzled.

"Yeah. I guess," Cloud said, and he lifted Tifa into his arms again. She buried her face into his neck, and he felt the warm tears on her cheeks.

"I'll come back tomorrow," he said softly, so only Tifa could hear him. "Everyday, until he shows up."

Tifa only sniffled in response and clung to him closer. With a heavy heart, and one last hesitant look at the mako pool, he reluctantly followed Barret and Jesse as they stole their way confidently through the twists and curves of the slums.

Cloud dreaded when they would get back to the bar. It didn't seem right to go to sleep when Zack could be out there in trouble. He swallowed and took a steadying breath. He thought he was going to lose his cool, but he knew he had to keep it together for Tifa's sake at least.

Instead, he focused on how Barret and Jesse navigated through the dirty streets, using only the poorest light to guide them to their destination. He marveled at it, to be honest. Still, he thought, they couldn't climb a mountain the way he could. And he'd bet all his gil that they'd never seen the stars like he had, all lit up at night and so expansive that it made him feel insignificant, but wonderful all at once. Maybe when all this was over, he could show them, as thanks for all their help.

Suddenly, they were back at the bar. A few regulars were inside, drowning their sorrows with a pint, and then Marlene was running up to them, an eager look on her face.

"Cloud, why are you carrying Tifa?" she asked curiously, tugging at his pants. "Did she get sleepy?"

Tifa looked down at Marlene and smiled. Cloud could see Tifa was doing her best to stay cheerful for Marlene, but he could still spot the sadness in her eyes.

"I just hurt my leg, Marlene. Cloud carried me back so I wouldn't hurt it any more."

"Ohhh. Cloud is strong!" Marlene said, then peered around Cloud's leg expectantly. "Hi Daddy! Where's Zack at?" she asked, and the group fell silent. "He...is he getting my present?" Marlene asked uncertainly.

Nobody seemed willing to say anything – nobody wanted to break the bad news to the bright little girl. It would crush her. Finally, Barret knelt down next to her, his expression odd as he tried to decide between looking hopeful and serious.

"Marlene, honey, you see...eh..." he frowned, scratching his beard uncomfortably. "Zack...he..."

Barret fell silent, trailing off and looking around him hopelessly. He seemed to be pleading for help with his eyes. Tifa slid out of Cloud's arm and sat down on the floor next to Marlene, holding her arms out for the little girl. Marlene clambered into her embrace slowly, clearly realizing something was wrong.

"Tifa, where's Zack?" she asked again, her lower lip trembling.

"He...couldn't come back with us..."

"Why not?" Marlene whimpered, her eyes filling with tears. Her pout became more pronounced.

"There was an accident...and..." Tifa stopped as Marlene burst into tears.

"I want Zack!" Marlene bawled now, throwing her head back and wailing. Everything she said after that was garbled and incoherent as she cried. Barret scooped Marlene up, but her cries grew more insistent, loud even when she buried her face in her father's shirt.

Cloud looked down at Tifa and saw she was crying silent tears herself, leaving streaks on her pale cheeks. He helped her back to her feet and hugged her, hating to see her cry.

"Poor Marlene," Tifa sniffled, and Cloud knew why Tifa was upset about it. They couldn't explain to Marlene what was really going on – how was somebody supposed to explain all of that to a four year old? For Marlene, her newest best friend had disappeared, and she didn't know or understand why.

"Come on," Cloud murmured, lifting her up and carrying Tifa back to their room, while Barret took Marlene to hers, her cries becoming muffled as she was carried away from them. Cloud set Tifa down gently, careful not to jostle her leg.

"Let's see how this leg is doing," he said, gently peeling away the bandages. The excessive movement had reopened the wound a little, and blood had soaked through the lower layers of the bandage, staining it red. Cloud frowned, staring seriously at her leg.

"You shouldn't have come with us," he told her.

"I'll be fine," Tifa replied wearily. "It barely hurts."

Cloud dabbed at the wound with some antiseptic and a clean rag, and she winced. "Liar," he muttered.

"Cloud, I'll be fine," she said again, her voice cracking.

"You still shouldn't have come. Your leg wasn't healed enough -"

"I'm FINE! I'm not dead! I'm alive, and what's a hurt leg when Zack is -"

"Zack's not dead!" Cloud said, his voice raising. Tifa fell silent, gazing at him sadly as he redressed her wound. Then she grabbed a pillow and pulled it over her face as she began to sob.

"Oh...Tifa," Cloud started weakly, watching as she shuddered. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell..."

She shook her head, the pillow moving with her.

"Everything's going to be..." he trailed off. "It'll be okay," Cloud sighed and slid onto the bed next to her, removing the pillow from her face and pulling her to him, resting his forehead against hers. "I'm going to find him," Cloud promised, staring into her wet eyes. She held his gaze, tears still leaking from the corner of her eyes and rolling down her cheeks to the pillow. She seemed unable to say anything.

"Go to sleep," he whispered, wiping the tears off her face and brushing her hair back. "You'll feel better when you wake," he said, and she closed her eyes, snuggling closer to him for comfort. It was a lie, though. Cloud didn't think any amount of sleep could make him or Tifa feel any better about it.

* * *

When Zack woke, he didn't know where he was, only that there was a pillow beneath his head, and a slightly scratchy blanket covering him. He groaned as he shifted – he'd been sleeping on something hard, and it hadn't done any wonders for his back.

"You're awake."

It was Aerith. So that hadn't been a dream. He frowned. Why hadn't she taken him back to Shinra yet? He grunted in the affirmative, unwilling to talk to her just yet.

"I healed you," she ventured hesitantly. He refused to look at her, but he got the feeling she was watching him expectantly.

"Thanks," he mumbled, one hand carefully feeling along his ribs and back, where the bruises had been the worst. Nothing. She really had healed him. But why?

"You were going to the mako pool, weren't you?" she asked. Zack shrugged and nodded, stealing a glance at her. She was in another one of her dresses, this one was pink, buttons running from top to bottom. It seemed to him that the buttons acted as a guide for his eyes, and it only ended up in two places: the gently curve of her slender legs, or at the swell of her -

He jerked his eyes away abruptly, flushing.

"I'm here to help you, Zack," she said, realizing he wasn't going to answer her.

"Yeah?" he asked roughly. "Why would it matter to you?" He couldn't keep the hurt out of his voice. The sting of betrayal had risen up in him again, feeling as fresh as ever with her so close.

"Because I lo...because I promised you, Zack. What I did was wrong. Please...believe me when I say I'm sorry." Her voice was so sad and soft that he turned to face her now, and he was surprised to see just how broken up she looked about it. He licked his dry lips, clearing his throat.

"Even if I believe you're sorry...I still can't trust you, Aerith," he said, his voice cracking as he spoke her name. Her eyes swam with tears for a moment, but she blinked rapidly and nodded.

"I know."

"Where are we?" he asked, finally taking in his surroundings. It looked to be an old church – he was lying on a wooden pew, which explained his back pain. But oddly, there was a circle of flowers growing in the middle of the church floor. "Flowers?"

"I grew them," she said, smiling at the flowers. Zack managed to choke out a laugh. "We're in a church in the slums," she explained.

"I haven't seen anything green since I've been here, and what do you know...flowers in a church."

"I guess it is kind of funny," she agreed. "But I've always had a way with flowers, I suppose..."

They both grinned at each other until Zack realized he'd slipped, and his smile slid off his face. Somehow, within the span of minutes, she'd gotten him to relax. For a moment, he'd felt just like he had with her back in Nibelheim before...everything.

"I can't stay here," he said, studiously observing the beams above him instead of her face.

"I'm not letting you leave," she said firmly.

"I have to..." he stopped himself. He'd almost let it slip about his friends. Perhaps she didn't know anything about Cloud and Tifa. Then again, Aerith wasn't stupid. She'd already seen Cloud once before. He swallowed, wondering just how much he could say without giving anyone away.

"They're fine. Cissnei's watching them," Aerith said. It was like she'd plucked his thoughts from his head. He frowned. It wasn't exactly reassuring, but he knew Aerith trusted Cissnei. Then again, he couldn't trust Aerith, so he couldn't trust Cissnei either...

He paused. Thinking about it made his head hurt. Trying to convince Aerith to let him go clearly wasn't going to work though. "They'll be worried about me," he muttered.

"I know. I'll tell Cissnei to let them know you're okay," she promised. Zack sighed, shifting on the pew. He was uncomfortable, but he didn't feel as bad as he had recently.

_Probably Aerith's magic, _he mused. They stayed quiet for a long time. He took a while to take in the church. Even though they were dirty, the great, colored windows were beautiful; he knew they'd look even better with sunlight pouring in, but it was dark out now. There were several chandeliers hanging from the ceiling too, all unlit. He wondered if they even worked anymore. Zack eventually grew bored from looking at the ceiling, and tilted his head to the side, focusing on Aerith again. She wasn't watching him anymore, gazing instead at the flowers. She sat on the ground, right where the planks of the church floorboard changed into dirt, smiling down at the flowers almost like she was having a private conversation with them. Zack watched as one of her hands splayed and a sphere of water appeared in midair. With a wiggle of her index finger, the sphere began to narrow into a stream of water that rose up, twisted around her hand, then burrowed down into the dirt.

_**Trust her. **_It was that voice again – he hadn't heard it in so long, he'd thought it had gone. But it was back, and clearly it was insane or extremely behind the times. Didn't it know she was the enemy?

_I can't,_ he told himself firmly.

"Show off," he couldn't help commenting, and she twisted around to look at him, a small grin on her face. She shrugged. The door to the church creaked open slowly, and Zack strained his neck to see over the pew. A familiar head of red hair made an appearance, bobbing toward him until Cissnei's face came into view. She looked as professional as ever, dressed sharply in her suit without a speck of dust on her.

"I see you're still alive," Cissnei said, the same way someone might comment on the weather.

"I see you're still...in a suit," he retorted lamely. She raised her eyebrow at him in a questioning manner and he flopped back onto the pew, making it creak. Aerith stood up and brushed the dirt from her dress, leaning over in a way that made Zack's eyes zoom to her as if they were magnetically pulled there. Their eyes met, and for a fleeting second, he could have sworn she shot him a sly smile. As if she knew exactly where he'd been looking, but when he looked again, there was no trace of a smile on her face, and she was looking seriously at Cissnei.

"Well?"

"They've stopped for the night at a bar. Quite possibly it's their base," Cissnei reported, shooting a look at Zack. "Perhaps we should...finish this discussion outside," she said slowly. They shared a look Zack couldn't decipher before Aerith nodded, and they both slipped out the front door of the church.

Zack sat up quickly. Now was his chance. He couldn't leave the front way, obviously, but maybe there was another way around...there! Another doorway.

He stepped carefully, tiptoeing across the floor. He didn't want his boots to make any unnecessary noise that would alert Aerith or Cissnei. He felt a little lightheaded, but he ignored it. As much as he would have liked to trust Aerith, he knew he had to get back to his friends, and warn them that Shinra knew where they were now. He hated to think what Shinra might do if they realized they'd actually discovered AVALANCHE's hideout. In a way, it was his fault they'd been followed.

The door led to a back room, one with stairs that twisted their way up to another door that Zack assumed led to the bell tower. The stairs didn't look exactly safe, though. In several places, there were stairs missing, and in some cases, entire landings were gone, only splintered planks remaining. He knew he had to climb anyway.

Zack steadied himself on the staircase railing, wincing every time the stairs creaked. He prayed Aerith and Cissnei were having a long conversation. He wasn't sure what he'd do if they came back in when he was halfway up the steps. The walls around him were covered in tattered tapestries and mold. The musty smell made his nose itch, but he dared not sneeze. Where platforms were missing, he jumped. At one particularly large gap, he'd misjudged the distance and barely managed to catch the edge, scrabbling desperately as his legs flailed below him. He grunted and pulled himself up, his muscles burning. He collapsed on the dirty wood in relief when he successfully pulled himself up, his body shaking. When he regained mastery over his muscles again, he soldiered on.

For once, luck seemed to be on his side. Neither Aerith or Cissnei had heard his scuffle, and before he knew it he was at the top of the staircase, panting lightly. Okay, so he wasn't feeling as good as he'd thought. But it was of little consequence. He was almost to freedom. He'd have to congratulate himself later on two successful escapes from Shinra – he'd bet there weren't a lot of people who could say the same thing.

The bell tower didn't have a bell anymore. Perhaps it had fallen, or simply been removed, he didn't know. But he could see the rooftop through the bell tower window, and he climbed out, grinning to himself. He peered cautiously over the edge of the roof. Cissnei and Aerith were still talking, standing just outside the steps to the church.

Shingles were missing from the rooftop in places, making a strange patchwork path and providing odd areas of traction. Zack stepped on a loose shingle and it slid out from under him, skittering down the rooftop and plummeting to the ground below. Zack threw himself down hastily, flattening himself to the roof, heart pounding and blood roaring in his ears.

_Shit! _He swore to himself, holding his breath.

"What the-?" Aerith's voice drifted up to his ears, and he could imagine her picking up the shingle and examining it.

"Just a shingle. This place is falling apart," Cissnei said.

"Yeah...I guess," Aerith agreed, but she didn't sound very convinced to Zack. To his relief, they continued their conversation, their voices too low for him to hear clearly. He waited for an agonizingly long moment, then shimmied across the roof so he could peer over the edge. They were both absorbed in their conversation again, and so, cautiously, he stood up and began to creep across the rooftop again.

Perhaps fate had decided Zack had had enough luck for one day, though. Or perhaps he should have taken more caution after hearing Cisseni comment on the building's habit for falling apart. In any case, Zack wasn't expecting the roof to give way under him, and then he was falling with shingles and rotten wood. He stretched his hand out, hoping he could snag one of the chandeliers on the way down, but he failed exceptionally.

_CRASH!_

Zack groaned, trying and failing to lift himself from the ground. Dust was floating in great billowing clouds, and he was sure the wooden floors beneath him were cracked a little from impact. Or maybe those were his bones that were cracked. He couldn't tell.

_I bet they heard that,_ he thought, and then he laughed a little hysterically. He stopped, because laughing sent searing pain through his ribs. So close, only to fall due to faulty roofing. He'd have to have a talk with whoever built the church. They had clearly cut a few corners – it was shoddy craftsmanship, really.

He let his head flop to the side so he was facing the flowers. He'd only just missed landing in the flower bed. They seemed to be mocking him, as if saying, "Ha, too bad you landed on the hard floor instead of in the soft soil!"

"Shut up," he moaned to the flowers.

The church doors flew open and he heard and felt Aerith and Cissnei's footsteps as they rushed toward him. Aerith was kneeling next to him, and he felt her hands on his face as she turned his head to look at her.

"What in the world?" she asked, her mouth hanging open wordlessly for a moment. She looked up, and Zack's eyes followed her gaze. There was a large, gaping hole in the roof now from where he'd fallen through.

"Oops," he commented, another pain inducing chuckle slipped past his lips.

"Are you crazy?" Aerith demanded angrily, looking back down at him. "You tried to escape on the roof? You could have killed yourself! You are so...so stupid!" she exclaimed, and for a moment Zack thought she was going to hit him. Which wouldn't have been great. "You just – you risked your neck...ugh!" Aerith threw her hands up in the air, shaking her head. Her face flickered between conflicting emotions – anger, sadness, defeat, before she finally settled on 'unreadable'. "You are an idiot," she said finally, and then she turned and stormed out like she couldn't stand the sight of him.

He made a gurgling sound in his throat. Seeing her so upset made him feel bad; he wasn't necessarily leaving _because _of her. Just because he...had to.

Cissnei's face came into view now, appraising him coolly. She didn't look worried or angry, or much of anything, really. In fact, she looked like she always did – professional to a fault. He felt her fingers prodding his chest, and he winced and cried out.

"Broken ribs," she told him matter-of-factly. There was an almost imperceptible twitch of her cheek, and then she slapped him. Hard.

"Ow! What was that for?" he managed to get out, gasping shallowly. "In case you didn't notice, I just fell from the roof. Don't you think I've been punished enough?"

"You are stupid," she hissed. "She's trying to help you. If she really wanted you dead, you'd already be at Shinra. In fact, you'd already be dead! So...just grow up, Zack! Stop acting so childish." She glared at him angrily, and he stared up at her, his mind failing to produce a sufficient comeback. Cissnei snorted, standing up. "I'll get her to heal your ribs."

* * *

Aerith sat down on the church stairs heavily, running her fingers through her hair and taking deep breaths to calm herself down. She was trying hard not to feel hurt by Zack's attempted escape, but trying not to let it bother only seemed to let it dig further into her chest, making it hard to breath.

She heard footsteps behind her, and then a presence at her side. Cissnei.

"Am I really that bad?" she asked at length.

"Is he any better?" Cissnei shot back.

"What do you mean?"

"He never told you about his little anti-Shinra group he had going up there. He didn't say a thing about attacking those employees up at the reactor, even when he knew you were investigating the very thing. He lied. By omission," she adding, seeing the hesitant look in Aerith's eyes. "He knew from the beginning why you were there. He should have known you were going to do your job."

"I still gave him up to the place he hated the most. And he was...kind of right about Shinra," she added, dragging her foot through the dirt glumly.

"...Maybe he is," Cissnei said with a sigh. "But you have to stop beating yourself up over this, Aerith. You both did things that were wrong. But you're trying to do something right. So give yourself a break, okay?"

"I...guess you're right."

"Of course I am," Cissnei said with a wry grin. "He's got some broken ribs. You should probably fix him up."

"Yeah," Aerith agreed with a sigh.

"I'm heading back to keep an eye on the others. Are you sure you want me to let them know about Zack? They'll try to find him."

"I know. But I don't want them to worry. They care about him a lot. They...love him. They're family."

"And what if they try to find him?"

"Just...delay them. I can't concentrate if they're hovering."

"Got it." Then Cissnei leaned over and hugged Aerith. "Don't let Zack get you down. If he won't come around, then he's too stupid for you anyway. And if he hurts you again, remind me to cut his balls off. I vaguely remember threatening him with that before," she said with a smirk.

"Oh...right."

Aerith watched Cissnei until she disappeared from view before she stood up again. She knew she should go heal his ribs, but she wanted another moment to herself. She wondered what she would do after she cured Zack. She could no longer imagine herself working at Shinra, knowing what she knew – and knowing there was so much more she didn't know, dark secrets that would eat away at her.

Aerith tried to picture a life outside of Shinra. It wasn't the place she would miss. Just...people. Sephiroth, and Cissnei, her best friends. Tseng, her mentor, her father-figure. Maybe they could go with her. Perhaps they could all just walk away.

_No. They would never let us leave alive._

The thought sent a chill down her spine, and she rubbed her arms briskly.

"Uhhh...hello?" Zack's voice called from inside the church, sounding hoarse. Steeling herself, Aerith reentered the church and walked over to him, quickly and silently. When she stood over him, he blinked, as if surprised.

"Oh. I uh, thought you'd left."

"Cissnei said your ribs are broken," she replied coolly. She knelt down next to him, placing her hands on his side.

"Aerith -"

"Look, I know what you're going to say. You can't trust me. But let me ask you something," she said quickly, meeting his gaze. "Why should I trust you?"

"Erm..."

"Because you lied to me in Nibelheim. And then when I found out...I was caught off guard. I didn't understand...what did you expect me to do?" she asked, accidentally pressing too hard against his ribs.

"Ow!" he winced.

"Oh...sorry," she muttered, a sheepish feeling sweeping over her, but then she regarded him seriously again. "Well? If you think I let Shinra imprison you because I was planning on betraying you all along, you're wrong. I...I was just surprised, and confused, and...and...I'm only seventeen, Zack! I couldn't have stopped them, and I'm sorry-"

"Woah," Zack blurted, grabbing her wrist. "I was just going to say...I'm sorry. I've been a jerk. And...you're right about that other stuff, too. So. I'm sorry, too. Yeah."

Aerith let out a long breath. "Oh." She felt embarrassed by her outburst now, and she was all too aware of Zack's hand around her wrist, his skin hot against hers. He was staring at her, and for once, it wasn't laced with hints of distrust and betrayal.

"I...well, I'll heal your ribs now," she muttered, flushing. She released her magic, musing that she'd healed Zack almost as much as she had her fellow SOLDIERs and Turks. She could feel his ribs shifting beneath his skin and he grimaced at the sensation. When the bones were realigned, the magic healed the break so that not even a fracture was left. When she looked back down at her face, his eyes were a bit unfocused, and he had a dazed, happy expression on his face. The last time she'd healed him, he'd been asleep; being awake had clearly left him loopy.

"I forgot how good that feels," he slurred, grinning up at her. His hand found hers, and he laced his fingers with hers, chuckling. "Wow your hands are small!"

"Um, Zack..."

"I just remembered this dream I had not too long ago. You were there," he continued conversationally, ignoring her. "And you pulled me down to the ground and just kissed me. This was before I remembered that you weren't my girlfriend anymore, so I was pretty happy. Cloud woke me up. Did I tell you, I lost my memory for a while? It was weird. I think it was something that scientist guy did to me," he blabbered on.

Aerith was startled though. So they _had_ shared that dream! She blushed as he continued to talk about the dream kiss – he was now describing it in detail, which left her feeling a mixture of embarrassment and smugness.

"Hey, you know, it's kind of sad," Zack suddenly said, grabbing her attention.

"What is?" she asked. He was looking down at their grasped hands, frowning thoughtfully.

"That we're like complete strangers now. Cause...I always really liked you, even from the start, even when I knew I shouldn't. And I thought maybe the voice in my head was crazy. Even though having a voice in your head _is _crazy," he laughed.

Her heart thumped. She wanted so badly to ask him about the voice. But now wasn't the time. Suddenly, he was sitting up and leaning toward her, his eyes still glazed.

"Wha-?" she spluttered, and she drew back. He looked confused for a moment, but then he leaned in again, looking for all the world like he was about to kiss her.

She wanted this...and at the same time, she didn't. Not like this, when he was magically drugged and not in his right mind. Not when things between them were still so broken.

"Sleep," she whispered, and he slumped forward, breathing deeply, asleep at her will. She picked him up and carried him back over to his makeshift bed, pulling the blanket to his chin. "Goodnight, Zack."

* * *

Aerith was weeding her flowers when Zack woke up again. He looked pale and groggy, but it was a good sign that he was able to sit up.

"I...don't remember falling asleep."

"That's okay."

"Did you carry me to the pew?" he asked, sounding amused.

"Yes. You don't weigh anything at all," she said, gazing at him disapprovingly. "You're practically a skeleton, you know."

"Well, I haven't exactly been eating like a king," he said, poking at his own stomach. "Or very hungry, for that matter." He stretched experimentally, rotating his shoulders and leaning to the side. "You're pretty good at this healing thing," he said.

"I've had plenty of practice," she shrugged. "Or did you doubt my capabilities?"

He didn't answer her, surprising her instead by shuffling over and sitting down next to her. He ran his hand over the tops of the flowers, grinning lightly. "Did I say anything weird after you healed me? Or was that just a dream?" he finally asked, and he appeared to be avoiding her gaze. His cheeks looked almost flushed, like he was embarrassed.

"...No. Nothing happened," she said, to prevent further embarrassing him. Not to mention, she was somewhat embarrassed herself.

"Oh. Good." Then, "But I did apologize for being a jerk lately, right?"

"Yes."

More silence. Not so much awkward, just contemplative.

"Thank you. For helping me out. I'd probably be dead right now if you hadn't stopped those soldiers."

"I couldn't let them kill you before I found a way to cure you," she said, trying to sound lighthearted but failing miserably. Because the truth was, she still didn't know how to fix him. It was more than him just being ill, too. Because even though they weren't fighting now, and Zack wasn't trying to escape, there was a tension between them. Suddenly, Aerith was very aware of the fact that once people were broken, they couldn't be fixed. The realization that things would never be the same between her and Zack made her heart feel heavy in her chest. Maybe things could get better between them, but they'd never have quite the same innocence as they once had. Always, there would be the reminder of what they'd done to each other hovering in the back of their minds, sullying wondered if forgiveness would ever be good enough to dispel it.

"You still think you can cure my illness?" Zack asked.

Aerith chewed her bottom lip, wondering how to answer him. Did she think she could? She wasn't so sure anymore. She had a clue, but a vague one at that. She supposed she would only know for sure if she could or not when she took him to the mako pool.

"Maybe," she answered honestly. She watched him slump forward, staring intently at the flowers. She couldn't get over how different he looked from the last time she'd seen him. Thin and somber, eyes dulled by pain and exhaustion. Aerith hated it.

"Where'd you get the SOLDIER uniform?" she asked him suddenly. It had just registered in her mind that he was wearing one, for some reason. Perhaps it had taken her so long to realize because she was used to seeing everyone around her in one, but now she remembered Zack didn't normally wear one.

"Swiped it when I escaped," Zack shrugged, though his lip tugged upward a bit, like the beginning of a smile.

"Ah. So you decided to blend in," she caught on.

"Yeah. I just walked on out, pretty much," he said, and then he was laughing, but it was halting and interspersed with coughing.

"Smart."

"I have my moments."

Then Zack did something unexpected again. He crawled forward into the flowers, ignoring Aerith's cry of protest. Then he laid down in the flowers, spread-eagle, staring up at the new hole in the ceiling.

"Zack, you'll ruin the flowers!"

"They'll be fine. They're resilient."

"But-"

"Could you do me a favor?" he sighed. "Just...lay down here beside me. And we can just forget for a while. We'll just pretend we're two normal kids out in a field, enjoying a sunny day. That we don't have people trying to capture or kill us. And we can pretend I'm healthy." He sounded so sad and tired, that Aerith couldn't help but comply. So she mimicked him, laying in her flowers, their hands only just touching. She wanted to hold his hand, but she didn't.

And they lay there for a while, pretending.

**A/N: First off, a big thanks to my new beta, Full Mental Panic, for being nit-picky where I was too damn lazy to be nit-picky myself. (: And uh, I don't have much else to say now – if you're all wondering why the HELL Aerith didn't take Zack to the mako pool, it's because this chapter would not have worked after the fact. The mako pool is important, but I felt like this was important, too. Character development would have been lost otherwise! :D Please leave a review guys, I appreciate them. Thanks!**


	15. Save Me

**Chapter 14: Save Me**

_Out here, I watch the sun circle the earth_

_Marrows collide in rebirth_

_God's glory praise, the spirit calls out from the cave_

_The walls fell and there I lay..._

_Saved_

_**Jack's Mannequin, **_**Caves**

* * *

Cissnei stayed outside the slum bar all night. Nothing of consequence happened, but it gave her plenty of time to think. She stayed in the shadows, not wanting to alert any of the bar-goers, watching as they came in, looking weary and beat-down, and leaving so drunk they could barely stand. She wondered what kind of life that was. She was surprised to find she felt guilty too.

Shinra had plucked her from her old life and molded her into what they wanted her to be. She'd always wondered, deep down, what her life might have been like otherwise, and watching the people of the slums made her realize that _this_ could have been her life. Cissnei now understood that her life hadn't been as bad as she'd thought – life-threatening situations aside, she always had a warm bed and food to come back to at the end of the day.

At the same time though, she knew her existence and theirs had one common factor: Shinra. They controlled everyone's fates, whether they chose to crush them, give them a life of luxury, or make them into weapons to continue and preserve their reign of tyranny.

Thoughts of Shinra ultimately led to thoughts of Aerith. Cissnei used to know what Aerith was thinking all the time, but these days Aerith didn't even know what she was thinking. Cissnei could tell that Aerith's loyalties were wavering, though. Something had happened with Sephiroth at Nibelheim, something they hadn't told her. It bothered her, she realized, to know they didn't trust her with the information. Or maybe they'd just been too busy to tell her. Either way, she was being left in the dark.

She resented Zack too. He was part of the reason Aerith was so...confused. He'd made her question Shinra, made her beat herself up over doing her job as a SOLDIER and Turk. It had felt good to slap him, and she didn't regret it. Even though she wasn't very pleased with him, she knew she had to talk sense into him, if only for Aerith's sake. Sure, she could have let Zack be a complete jerk and push Aerith away, but that wouldn't make her best friend happy. It would make her miserable. Cissnei didn't want that – she just hoped she didn't get left behind when Aerith finally decided what she was going to do.

Cissnei waited as night leeched away and gradually turned into morning, though with the plates overhead, one could hardly tell the difference anyway. She pushed herself away from the wall she'd been leaning against most of the night, her muscles grateful to finally move. She was a little stiff, but she kept all groans of relief to herself. She walked casually to the bar, but she could tell she was drawing attention by the way people stopped and stared. Some ran off, muttering under their breath.

Inside, the scene was quieter – a large, dark man at the bar, and a familiar shock of blonde hair sitting at the bar. As soon as the door closed behind her, though, the tension became thick enough to choke everyone in the room. The dark man locked eyes with her, his own narrowed with suspicion. Cloud turned, then nearly dropped out of his bar stool upon seeing her.

"Cissnei?" he breathed. His eyes widened and he steadied himself on the bar. "Barret, she's a Turk..."

"I got this, Spike," Barret declared.

"But-"

The man moved quickly for someone so large. He leaped over the bar and landed heavily, and then he was barreling toward her, yelling viciously. If she'd been a normal girl, she probably would have found the sight frightening; she was a Turk though, and had faced much worse. She neatly stepped aside, grabbing the wrist of his left hand and the collar of his shirt as he flew by and led him back around. Cissnei pulled slightly on the arm and Barret's momentum and and broken balance sent him staggering past her. Keeping tension through his arm she pushed on his neck and he sprawled on his face, the impact nearly shaking the entire building. She planted one knee on his back, and twisted the arm she was holding behind him.

"I suggest you stop writhing around before you hurt yourself," she said calmly.

"Let me go you mother fu-mppphhhhh -" Cissnei pushed his face against the wood floor as he cursed at her, muffling his words, then let him back up again. "- Turk!" he finished, panting heavily. Despite his size and attempts to get up, Cissnei had him pinned.

"What are you doing here?" Cloud demanded, watching her warily.

"I merely came to inform you -"

She was interrupted again by a little girl crying out, "Daddy!" and then her leg was being attacked.

"Let him go you meanie!" the girl cried, hitting her leg pitifully, looking angry but also on the verge of tears. Cissnei blinked at the little girl, unsure what to say.

Until the little girl clamped her little teeth into Cissnei's leg that is. Then she let out a shocked cry of surprise.

"Ow! She _bit _me!"

Cloud hurried forward and plucked the little girl up, like he was afraid Cissnei was going to hit her, and pulled her back.

"Put me down, Cloud! She's a meanie!" the girl cried.

"Marlene, you don't want to bite her," Cloud insisted.

"Cloud, what's happening?" Tifa was limping into view now, but she froze when she saw Cissnei. "Oh no," Cissnei heard the other girl whisper. She looked pale and drawn, like she'd gotten very little sleep.

Cissnei was beginning to lose her patience. Tifa may have had trouble sleeping, but _she_ hadn't had any sleep at all. No, she'd been up all night standing outside a filthy bar.

"Do you want to hear about Zack or not?" Cissnei demanded loudly, and everyone in the room held their breaths. Even Barret stopped struggling. "Civilians," she muttered to herself, shaking her head.

"You know where Zack is?" the little girl Marlene asked, her brown eyes wide. Then she seemed to remember that Cissnei wasn't a friend, and she frowned. "You made him not come home, didn't you?" she asked, even closer to crying than before.

Cissnei sighed. She wasn't very adept at dealing with children.

"What about Zack?" Cloud asked, and his voice was low. She'd never seen him look so angry before.

"He's alive," Cissnei said. "For now."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Cloud snarled, his hands tightening into fists at his side.

"It means he's alive for now," Cissnei repeated, wondering if all civilians were so dimwitted. "Aerith's trying to find a cure for him."

"Aerith has him?" Tifa asked. The girl was sitting on the ground now, her leg held gingerly out in front of her. While Cloud looked angry at the news, Tifa seemed to be wavering between concern and relief.

"How did she find him?" Cloud asked, his voice barely controlled.

Cissnei sighed again, rolling her eyes. It seemed Cloud was just as insistent on being stupid about Aerith as Zack had been. "Are all boys so stupid? Or is it just you and Zack?" Cissnei asked.

Cloud flushed, but he kept his narrowed eyes on her.

"Aerith's trying to help Zack, you know. Have you ever paused to think of the risk she's putting herself in to do this? If Shinra finds out she's keeping him safe instead of bringing him into custody..." Cissnei shook her head. "Forget it. I'm not going to waste my breath." Cissnei released Barret and backed away. Barret got up hastily, pointing his arm at her – no...it was a gun. Or it was both.

She just rose a brow at him. "I could kill you before you blinked. Put your weapon down. I didn't come here to fight you or to turn you into Shinra, even though I suspect you're the anti-Shinra group, AVALANCHE. I merely came to relay the message that Zack is okay for now, and that you shouldn't waste your time looking for him."

"We have to look for him, he's our best friend," Cloud said between gritted teeth.

"You won't be able to leave. We're watching this place. So don't try, Cloud." She turned to leave, and then paused at the door. "Just...have a little faith in her. Aerith's not a bad person – she never has been. So just believe me when I say she's trying her best."

She slipped out the door and slid back into the shadows, reaching for her phone. First a call to Reno and Rude - they'd have to watch the bar for now. Then, a call to Aerith to let her know Zack's friends had been informed. After that though, she was definitely sleeping.

* * *

Cissnei had left behind a stunned bar. For several long moments after the door had shut behind her, they had all stood there, gaping at the door. Then Cloud shook his head fiercely, scowling.

"She's got a lot of nerve," he growled. "She can't make us stay here!"

"Cloud, you heard what she said – they're watching the place..." Tifa said in a low, worried voice.

"So what?" Cloud shot back, knowing he sounded childish. "Zack's our best friend, we can't just sit here when the enemy has him!"

"It's Aerith, Cloud," Tifa sighed in exasperation. "You heard what Cissnei said, she's trying to help him."  
"How do we know she's not lying?" Cloud asked, determined to be stubborn on the issue. He wasn't going to easily forgive the back-stabbing mage. "Cissnei's a Turk. She's the enemy, too. What if she's just trying to throw us off the scent so they can take Zack back to Shinra and experiment on him some more? Or kill him?"

Barret was now sitting up, rubbing his chest with a grimace. "Cloud's right. They can't be trusted." Marlene had attached herself to her father's leg, watching the room with big, worried eyes.

"So what?" Tifa sighed heavily. "We just try to leave anyway? There are going to be more Turks out there. We'll be outnumbered."

"We can handle 'em," Barret said gruffly, scoffing.

"Just like you handled Cissnei?" Tifa asked, her eyebrow shooting up skeptically.

"Hey, she took me by surprise is all," Barret said in his defense, frowning deeply. Cloud knew the man was very proud, and to be taken down by a girl half his size was probably the ultimate humiliation.

"Right."

"Besides, we're ready now. We know they're out there. So me and the boys can distract them while Cloud sneaks away to find yer buddy. No sweat."

"Yeah, Barret has a good idea," Cloud said quickly, eager for any idea that would get him out of there. He knew just where to look for Zack – back at that church.

Tifa hobbled over to Cloud, a mixture of frustration and sadness on her face. "Cloud, I want to help Zack just as much as you do -"

"Then stop trying to stop me, Tifa! Please," he added more quietly, taking her hands in his. "You know I have to do this."

Cloud stared her in the eye, willing her to agree with him, to make her see why he had to risk it. Zack _needed _them, he was sure of it. She stared back, a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes, before he saw her give in. Her face seemed to relax a little, and she shook her head, her long hair falling in front of her face.

"I couldn't stop you if I tried, could I?" she asked softly.

"If you really wanted me to stay, I would," he disagreed. "But you're going to let me go, right?" he pleaded.

"You think this is right, so I won't stop you," she said, squeezing his hands. Then she leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I'd go with you if I could, but this damned leg -"

"I understand. You should stay here – someone needs to be with Marlene, right?"

"Right," she agreed, smiling a bit at him. He grinned, lifting her chin up so he could lean down and steal a brief kiss.

While Cloud had been distracted with Tifa, Barret had sent Jesse out to scope the perimeter of the bar. She came back in, looking grim.

"There are two guys out there – they definitely look like Turks. One's a bit unkempt looking, untucked shirt, no tie. Other one looks deadly serious, and he's as big as a tree," Jesse informed them.

"They're just standing out there?" Barret asked incredulously. "I thought Turks were supposed to be good at undercover work."

"I don't think they care about being undercover," Cloud input. "Cissnei just told us we were going to be watched – why would they bother hiding?"

"Well, it doesn't matter. Two Turks we can deal with. We'll go out and distract them real nice, and you can slip out the window, Cloud," Barret said, gesturing to the small window the bar offered.

Cloud was silently glad that he was fairly slim – otherwise he'd have no chance of getting through the window. "Right," he nodded, his face set in determination.

"Be careful, Cloud. You too, Barret," Tifa said. "Come on, Marlene," she beckoned, reaching down for the little girl's hand. "Let's go play upstairs, okay?"

"Alright!" the little girl agreed amicably, tottering off with Tifa.

"Be quiet, Spike," Barret said gruffly to Cloud, which Cloud supposed was just Barret's own way of saying, 'Be careful'. Cloud nodded in agreement, and then Barret burst out the front door of the bar, thumping noisily along, Jesse, Wade, and Biggs tagging along behind him. Cloud bit his lip, now wondering if this was such a good idea. If those guys got hurt helping him...well, he wasn't sure he'd be able to handle anymore guilt. He hoped they were as capable as they claimed they were.

Heart hammering in his throat, he crept over to the open door, peeking his head around the corner to watch the events. Barret stomped over to the two Turks confidently, a slight swagger in his step, his chest puffed out impressively. Unfortunately, the Turks didn't appear very perturbed by this. In fact, they seemed a little amused. Well, one of them at least. The large, bald Turk didn't have any expression on his face at all. Cloud thought that his stiff posture and unrelenting lack of expression was more intimidating than all the stomping Barret was doing. The other Turk was leaning almost lazily against a wall, his shirt untucked, the top of his shirt unbuttoned, and his red hair styled _just so. _It was apparent that this man went to great lengths to make it look like he didn't care.

"What are you two louts doin' down here?" Barret asked aggressively. Cloud was momentarily surprised that Barret knew what a lout was at all. Then again, maybe he hadn't been giving the man enough credit.

The laid back looking Turk grinned lazily, waving his hand nonchalantly. "Just keeping an eye out, my friend."

"We're not friends," Barret growled. Behind him, Biggs and Wedge scowled, nodding their heads.

"Ah, such a shame," the Turk sighed loudly, but he was clearly not bothered by this tidbit of information.

"You should leave," Barret said, rubbing his gun arm threateningly.

"No can do, bub, we've got orders. Ain't that right, Rude?"

The tall bald one – Rude, apparently – merely nodded, eyes hidden behind his very reflective sunglasses.

"Right," the red-haired one continued. "So I suggest that you four make your way back into your little bar before anyone gets hurt!" Now he stood up, pushing himself away from the wall, and Cloud watched as one of his hands casually went to rest on the gun at his hip.

"We ain't scared of you," Barret snarled, and without warning, he shoved the red-haired Turk back into the wall. This sent Rude immediately into action; he reached forward to grab Barret and put him into a headlock, but Barret's own size was an advantage for him this time. He was a match for Rude's own strength, and Cloud watched them struggle momentarily before realizing with a start that this was his chance to flee.

He darted away from the door and over to the window. The window stuck, and Cloud had to push up forcefully to get it to open, panting as it finally did. Then he squeezed his way out, momentarily getting stuck, but he was able to shimmy his way out. He almost fell headfirst into the dirt, but was able to catch himself, his hands scuffing against the gravel down below.

"Ow," he muttered, wiping the dirt away from his scraped hands. He blew on them, wincing as the cool air made his palms sting, then shoved them into his pockets. He had bigger things to worry about. He crept along the side of the bar until he reached the edge, peeking his head around again to see what was going on out front. Barret and Rude were rolling around in the dirt, both trying to get the upper hand, while Biggs, Wedge, and Jesse were running around the other Turk, darting forward every so often to smack him.

Cloud grinned to himself, then pulled away from the bar at a jog, before picking up speed and sprinting down the ally. He glanced back again to make sure no one had seen him, feeling the thrill of success, when he tripped and slammed ungracefully into the dirt, the wind escaping him in one great rush.

"Ooof!" he wheezed, trying to get up, but the pain in his chest made his head swim.

"Going somewhere?" a calm voice asked him, and he looked up to see another Turk above him. This man had a distinctly severe look to him, his dark hair pulled back into an impeccable ponytail, sleek and without a hair out of place. His suit was pressed precisely, and his shoes, which were right next to Cloud's face, were so polished that he could see his reflection in them.

"Just...thought I'd get some...fresh air," Cloud gasped, rolling over and massaging his chest, trying to get the air back into his lungs.

"I'm afraid I can't let you go, though. I understand your concern for your friend, but he is in very capable hands."

"Who are you exactly?" Cloud snapped, growing angry now. He'd been so close, only to get caught!

"My name is Tseng. I'm a friend of Aerith's."

"Great," Cloud grumbled. So in other words, Cloud was screwed.

"Let's go help your friends before Rude and Reno permanently damage them," Tseng said, his voice still level and calm, as if he weren't particularly concerned either way.

Cloud ignored Tseng's offered hand and got up on his own, wincing as he felt the new bruises he was going to have. He glared at the man, who stared back impassively.

"We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way, Cloud," Tseng said, and it irked Cloud that the man knew his name. A nerve in his jaw twitched. He wanted to ball up his fists and punch the guy in the face. _That'd_ show him! But Cloud wasn't stupid – he knew he, Cloud, a mostly scrawny 17 year old, didn't stand a chance against a trained professional, who most likely had a gun. So he turned away reluctantly and marched back to the bar.

Back at the bar, Barret was sporting a bloody nose, and Rude had a nasty looking bruise on his temple. Biggs, Wedge, and Jesse were sitting on the stairs of the bar, guns pointed at them by the red-haired Turk (who Cloud guessed was Reno, from what Tseng had said) and Cissnei, who looked highly disgruntled.

"Tseng, I was trying to sleep you know. Instead I get called out here to help these two," she said, pointing at Reno and Rude.

"Take it up with Aerith," Tseng said, and for the first time, Cloud heard some kind of inflection in the man's voice. He sounded amused now.

"Oh, she'll be getting an earful from me," Cissnei grumbled grumpily, shaking her head. She shot a sharp look at Cloud.

"I thought I told you to stay put? Or can't you listen?"

"I guess I have a problem with authority," Cloud shot back, grinning cheekily at her, just because he knew it would irk her. It felt good to vent some of his frustration off onto her.

For a moment, it looked like she was going to thump him good, but then she sheathed her gun and pushed Biggs and Wedge toward the bar, ignoring Cloud completely.

It was a small victory, but it was something, Cloud thought.

* * *

The trip was an exhausting one, to say the least. Zack struggled to keep up, and eventually, Aerith had to support him. They had left the church under the cover of darkness – in case of Shinra guards on the lookout, Aerith had told him – and though he had started out strong enough, the farther they traveled, the more stops they had to make.

It was during one of these stops that Zack mused on the fate of his friends. Earlier in the day, Aerith had received a call from Cissnei, and Aerith had relayed the information back to him. His friends knew he was alive, but now they were being kept captive in the bar, unable to leave, and being watched at all times by the Turks. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. He was glad that his friends knew he was okay, but he also knew that Cloud could be impulsive, especially when he was feeling protective. He was worried that Cloud would do something stupid and get himself hurt. Zack already felt terrible enough – if something happened to Cloud or Tifa...

He sighed, shaking his head firmly. There was no use worrying about it. He had to focus.

"I'm ready again," he said, standing up slowly even as his legs shook. Aerith was watching him closely, and he could tell she was skeptical. "We don't have time to waste," he pointed out, and she agreed reluctantly. The roads were dark as ever, but Aerith had no problems navigating him through the streets. He wondered briefly if she had super vision, but then he realized it was probably just because she had grown up in Midgar.

Just when Zack thought he couldn't walk any further, Aerith spoke up. "Almost there," she said, breathing slightly harder than usual as he leaned heavily on her, his own legs tripping over each other.

"Thank Gaia," Zack groaned, blinking heavily. He wanted to sleep. He wanted to curl up and never move again. His body was screaming at him, and he had the mad desire to scratch his own skin until the burning went away. At the same time, he could feel the pull of mako even before he could see the glow from the pool. Even while his body fought itself, it was crying out for the mako, like a druggie begging for another fix.

A sharp pain shot through his body, and he stumbled to the ground with a stifled cry, gritting his teeth against the onslaught of pain.

"Shhhh..." he breathed out between clenched teeth, in a half plea for his body to stop crying out in pain, the other half in a halted attempt to curse.

"Zack?" Aerith's worried voice cut through the night air, and he felt more than saw her come next to him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders. "Come on, Zack," she said encouragingly. "We're almost there."

Zack shook his head, his body shaking from the pain and exhaustion. "I don't think I'm going to make it," he wheezed, biting back another cry as pain pulsed through him. It was like his nerves were on fire. He tried to stand again, but his legs just wouldn't hold. The pain in his body was so intense that he felt sick, and he began to dry heave, his body uselessly trying to empty itself, but there wasn't anything in his stomach to get rid of.

He moaned as his head swam and his eyes grew unfocused. _So hot. _Then Zack was gone, his pain finally having reached the point where his body couldn't handle the stress. He was out.

* * *

Aerith didn't swear often, but sometimes the situation warranted a good cuss word. This situation warranted more than a few, and so she spent a minute letting out expletives before taking a deep breath, and refocusing. They were almost to the mako pool, which was a good thing, but now the situation was dire. Zack looked seconds away from death, and Aerith still didn't know how she was going to cure him.

_To the mako pool first._ She told herself firmly, bending down to get Zack. He was a dead weight, passed out like he was, but she was strong and was able to drag him toward the pool, her arms wrapped firmly under his armpits and above his shoulders. Her back was starting to ache from her awkward, bent position when she finally reached the mako pool. Aerith unceremoniously dumped Zack into the pool, making sure his head didn't go under (she didn't want him to drown while she was trying to save him!), splashing herself with the mako in the process.

She hastily wiped the liquid away with the cloth of her dress; the mako left a curiously pleasant tingle behind. Aerith watched Zack anxiously, waiting for him to wake up as the mako revived him – but nothing happened. He just sat in the green pool, his head lolling to the side, so pale he might have already been a corpse. Whatever was supposed to happen, it was taking too long.  
"What do I do?" she asked herself frantically. She had been told that the mako pool was important – that was it. Well, he was here now, in the mako pool. What was she supposed to do next? Then, to her horror, Zack began to slip down under the mako.

"No!" she shouted, lunging forward so that she was precariously close to falling in herself. She wasn't sure what she'd intended to do – grab his head, maybe, to keep him from slipping under – but she was a fraction too late, and he slid beneath the green surface.

_He's going to drown! _She thought in panic, dancing on the balls of her feet in uncertainty. _Oh, to hell with it!_ She plunged into the pool, which was deeper than she first thought, reaching down to lift him up out of the liquid so he could breathe. The mako was glowing brightly now, and her skin began to tingle again at the contact. Was this the poison at work, eating away her skin? The tingle turned into a warmth that spread over her entire body, and a drowsiness overtook her.

"No," she mumbled, fighting to keep her eyes open. "Gotta...get Zack...out of here," she mumbled, her tongue thick in her mouth. The will to stay awake wasn't strong enough to combat the sleepiness, though, and she felt herself slumping against Zack, her eyelids heavy with sleep. "No," she murmured again, but then she was gone, too. Her last thought was that it would look quite odd to see two people sleeping in a mako pool.

* * *

When his eyes opened again, he was not in Midgar. He wasn't in any place that he recognized, to be truthful. It was dark...but light seemed to be swirling around him. He was neither sitting or standing, merely floating in space. He felt a tickle on his arm and looked down to see luminescent green light gliding alongside him, like it was supporting him.

_Where am I? _He wondered, disconcerted by the lack of scenery. Then, like the very air around him was responding to his thoughts, his surroundings lurched and color began to bleed into his vision, followed by exceedingly bright light. He squinted until the light grew so intense he had no choice but to squeeze his eyes shut and shield his face.

"Zack?" Aerith's voice floated into his ears, and he chanced a peek between his fingers. The light was normal now, and he slowly lowered his hands and opened his eyes fully. They were in a massive field, surrounded by thousands of flowers of which Zack was sure Aerith knew the names to. She was sitting in the flowers, looking delighted, her fingers skimming the tops of the velvety petals.

"Where are we?" he asked, his voice no longer hoarse. He sounded normal again, like before he'd been sick.

She tilted her head slightly, like she was listening to somebody, then smiled at him. "The Lifestream," she said.

"Like...the Planet's Lifestream?" he asked in wonder. She nodded simply, admiring the flowers again.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yeah," Zack breathed. "But why are we here?" he wondered, more to himself than to Aerith.

_**You have done your part, Zack Fair. You have been our host, and we have kept you alive as best we could, until you could deliver us to her again. We foresaw your meeting, and made it so.**_

_So what happens to me now? _Zack asked the voice in his head. _And who are you?_

_**Have you truly not guessed by now? We are the Planet, the voices of all the Cetra from the past. Long ago, we were nearly wiped out of existence by an evil creature called Jenova. Aerith is the last of her kind. She rejected us when she was young, though, after the death of her Mother. When the enemy took her in, we left to find another. We found you. And now it is time for us to return to her – she is ready.**_

_If you've been keeping me alive...if you leave, will I die?_

_**Aerith will help you. She promised, did she not? She will know **_**what**_** to do, once we are reunited. **_Zack thought that the Planet sounded a little amused; frankly, he didn't see how dying was funny at all.

_Alright...I guess. Um, glad I could help. _

_** You've done more than you can know, Zack Fair. Farewell.**_

Zack sagged as the voice disappeared, and he felt _something_ leave him. His head was very quiet all of a sudden – after years of wondering what it would be like without the voice, he now realized just how lonely it was with only himself. Across from him, Aerith's body jolted and her eyelids fluttered rapidly. He supposed that was the Planet returning to her. So Aerith was an Ancient. What would Shinra do when they found out? Or did they already know?

Zack felt tired again, like his energies were draining. He supposed if the Planet had been keeping him alive this whole time. Now that it was gone, he really would die, unless Aerith could do something. But she had fallen back into the flowers now, apparently asleep, her fingers twitching every so often, like a dog in it's sleep. Perhaps he would take a nap, too. It seemed like a nice idea...he closed his eyes and let himself drift away again.

* * *

One moment, Aerith had been sitting in a field of beautiful flowers, the next she was plunged into darkness.

"Hello?" Aerith called out into the empty space, her voice echoing strangely. "Zack?" she called again, wondering where he'd disappeared to. Were they still in the Lifestream, or had Aerith been taken somewhere else?

"Hello, Aerith."

Aerith turned sharply, or tried to, but she merely floated around instead, unable to plant her feet on anything solid. Her breath caught in her throat. There was her mother again, glowing softly in the darkness, a kind smile on her face.

"Mother?"

"In a sense," the image of her mother shrugged. "We are the Planet, but we are taking this shape for you. Your mother is here, as are the rest of us."

"The rest?" she asked, confused.

"All the Cetra," the Planet answered with her mother's voice. "We are connected to you, Aerith."

"But you've been gone ever since I was little," she said, shaking her head. "Where did you go?"

"When your mother died, you pushed us away. You feared hearing us, and you were angry – you thought it was our fault your mother died. We understood, though. You were young. Shinra took you, though, and began to change and mold you, and eventually you forgot about us. So we had to find someone new, until you were ready again."

"Who did you find?" Aerith asked quietly, even though she was already certain of the answer.

"Zack Fair, of course. The mako blast surely would have killed him otherwise, but we chose to save him, for we saw him in your future. So we saved him, and waited until the day you would meet."

"You've been keeping him alive this whole time?" Realization flooded through Aerith. "That's why he had to go to the mako pools – of course. That's when he was closest to the Planet, when he was in the mako. The mako didn't kill him because you were protecting him, keeping him strong. But why has he been getting so sick lately?"

"Because we are dying, Aerith," the Planet said sadly, and her mother's face crumbled a little. "Shinra is sucking the life out of us to power the world. And they continue to search for more power. Do you know what place they seek?"

Aerith shook her head, her mind buzzing as she tried to grasp what the Planet was telling her.

"A place they called the Promised Land. Shinra believes it will lead them to a great source of mako, giving them enough power to take over everything. Once upon a time, they wanted to use you to find that place. In a way, you pushing us away saved your life. When they realized you couldn't contact us, they gave up on using you for that dream."

If there had been a place to sit down, Aerith would have. Instead, she let out a long, slow breath.

"Zack was right," she said finally. "Shinra is destroying the Planet – you, that is."

"He was more aware than some, due to our influence. But there are others who have come to the same realization, and who fight for us. Would you do the same, Aerith?"

The Planet was asking her the same thing Zack had back in Nibelheim. To turn her back on her family, and to fight the very company she had been loyal to for years. After meeting Zack, she had begun to see how little she'd really known about Shinra, but now she could see that she'd been completely blind. And her family – the people she considered her family, at least – if they really cared about her like they claimed to, then she knew they would help her, whatever she chose to do. She wasn't betraying her family by fighting Shinra...she was saving them.

"I – of course. I couldn't let them destroy everything...Shinra...Shinra has a lot to answer for. But I guess you know that."

The image of her mother nodded, smiling again. Aerith felt an ache, and she wondered how her life would have been if her mother had never died.

"Don't dwell on it too much, dear," the Planet said, and Aerith realized with a start that it was reading her thoughts. "I told you, we are connected," the Planet said in amusement. "One can never know how life will turn out – just one change can alter the course of the future dramatically. Take for instance, the night your mother died. Had Tseng not found you that night, your life would have been very different. If Zack Fair had listened to his mother and not gone to the mako reactor, he would have never been hit by the blast. Had you not been there when Sephiroth learned of his creation, Jenova would have taken over his mind and pushed him toward the ultimate destruction of the Planet. You see, there are thousands of possibilities; but everything happens for a reason, as they say. Perhaps this version of history is better than the one we originally predicted."

"What are you saying?" Aerith asked, utterly bewildered by the Planet's little speech.

"In another timeline, Sephiroth would have needed to be stopped. This is no longer the case – he is with you, and not under the influence of the alien creature Jenova. Now you can focus on stopping Shinra from draining the rest of the life from us."

"Wait – what about Zack?" Aerith asked. The Planet paused, apparently considering her question carefully.

"He is dying as we speak."

"What?" Aerith shouted, anger and desperation surging through her. "Why have you kept me here this whole time if he's dying? I need to help him!"

"You needed to understand, first," the Planet said.

"Tell me how to save him!" Aerith demanded, her eyes burning with tears.

"You've got the solution. You've had it for years."  
"I don't understand! Stop speaking in riddles."

"Holy. It was meant to be the Planet's defense, but as it is no longer needed to fight off Meteor, you can re-purpose it."

"How will that work?" Aerith asked, reaching back to her ribbon to where she kept the small white materia hidden. She pulled it out, grasping it gently between her forefingers.

"Like we said, Holy was meant as a defense. Activate it, and it will become Zack's defense, if you so wish it. It will keep his body from degenerating. We saved him, but some wounds cannot be healed. The mako changed his genetic makeup. His body started attacking itself, weakening him, and killing him. As we started to die, it grew harder for us to fight back against his own body. Holy will, essentially, cure him, and defend him from future harm."

Aerith laughed weakly. "I've had the answer the whole time...I could have cured him long before all..._this_ happened."

"You were not ready," the Planet replied. "But you are now. You are the last of our kind, Aerith. Sephiroth is not, as he believes, a Cetra. He began a normal child; while he was in his mother's womb, his father injected the alien Jenova's cells into the fetus, altering Sephiroth. But it would be unwise to tell him so. Perhaps, one day, he will learn the truth, but for now, for the sake of our safety, it would be better to keep it to yourself. Once you have dealt with Shinra, you will need to destroy the remains of Jenova, so that she may never take control of Sephiroth. He would become a blight to us, and to all the world."

"I...I understand. But please – return me to Zack. I...he can't die, not now, not when I finally have the answers."

"It is not us keeping you here, but you yourself. If you wish to go, then go," the Planet said.

And so Aerith wished it, and then color returned to the dark place, and she felt the flowers underneath her once again, and the warmth of the Lifestream rushing over her. She sat up abruptly, gasping for breath, eyes darting wildly around, the white materia clutched in her hand.

"Zack? Zack!" she cried out, spotting him lying the flowers, his cheeks pale, his breathing shallow. She crawled over to him, not even caring that she was crushing the flowers beneath her and placed the white materia on his chest.

"What do I do?" she muttered, staring hard at the small, innocent looking crystal, pressing it against him. His skin was still warm, but it didn't feel as warm as it should. He was fading...

**_Activate it,_** said a voice, and Aerith recognized it to be the Planet's. It had been so many years since she had heard its voice in her head. Aerith realized she felt connected to everything in this place, from the flowers to the grass, to Zack, and even the materia glowing softly on his chest. She could feel him slipping away, but she could also feel the power inside the materia. Magic surged up inside of her, building up until it was crying out for release, and she squeezed her hand around the ball. It lit up spectacularly, coming alive with magic, and she focused, directing the flow of that magic to Zack.

_Defend him. Save him! _She urged the magic within the materia, and to her utter delight, she could feel it responding. As the materia began to glow brightly, Zack's body was enveloped in it, an indescribable, pure white that made him look flawless and ethereal. The flowers around Zack began to ripple from the force of an unknown wind, and his body lurched upward, in some sort of spasm. She kept her hand pressed firmly against his chest, pushing him back to the ground. The ground beneath her grew hot, and Aerith knew it was the Planet at work, too, aiding her magic to heal Zack. His body continued to spasm and twitch as she worked, and she worried he'd hurt himself if he continued to trash around. She began to whisper softly to him, just nonsense words to somehow soothe him even as he slept. It seemed to work, though, because his spasms lessened.

Aerith didn't know how long she kept this up, but eventually, the glow subsided and Zack's body fell still. His back no longer tried to arch upward, and he peacefully in the flowers, his breathing steady once again, the color back in his cheeks. Aerith pulled her hands away and the white materia rolled off his chest and onto the ground next to him, no longer bursting with light, but glowing softly, white light swirling slowly inside it.

Aerith plucked the materia up off the ground, then leaned over Zack, eyes wide with wonder and worry.

"Zack? Wake up...please...wake up..." she begged him, placing her hands on his shoulders and shaking him lightly. His head rolled from side to side, and then he groaned lowly, a frown coming to his face. "Zack," she choked out, beaming even as she sniffled. "You're alive!" Tears were slipping down her cheeks, but she didn't brush them away.

"I..." he started, blinking into the light. "I thought I was...a goner for sure..." he whispered, and Aerith let out a shaky laugh.

"I did it, Zack. I cured you."

He was staring at her now, an intense look in his eyes. "How?" he asked her.

She held up the materia for him to see, grinning still. He still looked confused, and so she explained.

"...Wow," he uttered once she had told him the story. "The Planet let you use its defense to save me?" he asked, sounding awed.

"The Planet's grateful for what you've done," Aerith assured him. "And so am I. I knew you were connected to me somehow. I just knew it. And I was right." Unable to contain herself, she threw her arms around him in a tight hug. To her pleasant surprise, he hugged her back.

"You saved me," he laughed weakly, sounding as though he were fighting back tears. "Just like you said you would. Aerith, you did it."

As they held each other in the Lifestream, Aerith felt more connected to him than she had ever felt with anyone. She didn't know if it was because of what they'd just gone through, or if their similar experience with the Planet had somehow drawn them closer together. She felt as if her soul had been bared to him, and his to her. She finally felt clarity, for once in her life. She knew what she had to do now, with unwavering certainty, and it was all thanks to Zack. Love for him filled her up, and it was warmer than any magic she had ever known. She sighed happily into his shoulder, closing her eyes.

"What was that?" Zack murmured against her hair, his breath tickling her ear.

"What do you mean?" she asked, pulling back slightly, staring into his eyes.

"There was just this...warmth all over me, right before you sighed. Was it magic?"

She stared at him quizzically. Had he somehow felt the surge of affection she had felt for him, right then?

"The Lifestream is a strange place," she grinned. "I was just thinking then about how much I..." she trailed off, feeling self-conscious suddenly.

"What?" Zack asked her gently, lowering his head so he could look her in the eye again.

She blushed, biting her lip. "I was just thinking about how much I...I love you," she stammered, her heart hammering in her chest, feeling so _very_ foolish. "I owe you so much. You showed me the truth. You helped me to finally understand who I am...and what I need to do now. And I know, I don't deserve you after everything I did to you – I just -"

Zack held a finger up to her lips, effectively stopping her in mid-speech.

"You love me, huh?" he asked, that familiar, sly grin forming on his face, one of his eyebrows quirking upward.

"I – well, yes. You saved me, Zack. I mean, that's not the only reason I love you, but it's the truth."

"I guess we saved each other, Aerith," he said, his smile widening. She noticed he didn't say it back to her though – that he loved her. He had said it once, what felt like a million years ago. She hadn't said it back that day either. After what had happened between them, though, she understood. Perhaps he just needed time. He was cured though. Time was a luxury Zack had again.

"So what is it exactly that I've made clear to you?" he asked.

"That Shinra needs to be stopped. If we don't stop them, they're going to drain the Planet and kill it. That's why you were getting sicker, you know. The Planet was growing weaker, and unable to sustain your life."

"So we're on the same side now," Zack chuckled. "It seems so fitting, too. One of Shinra's best working to stop them."

"Not just me. Sephiroth, Tseng, Cissnei...they'll all help. Shinra will pay," she promised. At this, Zack smiled so broadly she thought his face might split.

"So how do we get out of here?" he asked her.

"Simple," she replied, taking his hand and helping him up. "Just close your eyes."

"Wait," he interrupted. Then he bent down and plucked one of the brilliant flowers from the Lifestream. "I promised Marlene a present," he said at her confused look. Then, clutching the flower in his fingers, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. With the Planet's help, Aerith returned them to the real world again. They both sat up, drenched in mako, gasping for air, Zack still holding the flower he'd picked.

Zack stood up slowly, mako dripping off of him, and he gazed down at himself, holding his arms out and examining his body with wonder. Then he started to laugh, slowly at first, until it built up into loud guffaws. He laughed until his eyes were streaming with tears. He surged forward and picked her up, twirling her around, the mako splashing around their feet. He spun them both until they were dizzy, and then he set her back down, clinging to her.

"Thank you," he whispered fervently, his fingers bunched tightly in the back of her dress. She held onto him as he wept tears of joy, only releasing him when he pulled away, wiping at his eyes sheepishly.

"Sorry," he muttered, embarrassed. "Just...got a little emotional there."

She smiled, shaking her head to indicate he didn't need to apologize. "How about we go tell your friends the good news?" she suggested, and Zack nodded, grinning again. He looked like a brand new man, she thought. "Oh – and you should hang onto this," she added, pressing the white materia into his open palm. "Keep it safe."

"Right," he said seriously, his fist closing around the small white ball. "I'll protect it like it's protecting me," he vowed. And then his seriousness passed, and he beamed at her again, his happiness too much to contain.

_Thank you,_ Aerith sent the Planet her silent thanks as Zack took her hand and helped her out of the mako pool.

**_Our pleasure._**

* * *

**A/N: Well, I do apologize for the wait on this chapter. It's shorter than the last couple of chapters, but I felt like this was a good place to stop it. The reason for the delay is that I got sick at the beginning of May, and was later hospitalized for two weeks. I've been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease, an incurable disease. After the hospital, I spent a lot of time recovering, and I didn't have much motivation or energy to write. Luckily, I'm getting much better, and I'll eventually go into remission with the help of my medication.**

** A big thanks again to my beta, Full Mental Panic, who looked over this chapter for me and gave me such wonderful suggestions. Please leave a review, folks, I do appreciate them. (:**


	16. A Guide to Taking Down Evil Corporations

**Chapter 15 – A Guide to Taking Down Evil Corporations**

_I was never afraid of the darkness again_

_my burns were third degree_

_but I'd been set free_

_cause grace had finally found its way to me_

_a high speed collision gave a new sense of sight to me_

_and now my vision can render the scene_

_a blurry image of wreckage and roadside debris_

_happiness returned to me through a grave emergency_

_**- Owl City: Hospital Flowers**_

* * *

The air seemed sweeter to Zack, somehow, which he knew wasn't true. Midgar's air was polluted, especially below the plates. In fact, Midgar's air was positively radioactive when compared to the fresh mountain air of Nibelheim. Still, he breathed in deeply through his nose, barely able to restrain his grin.

_I'm cured._

He twirled the flower between his fingers, watching the petals spin. He hoped Marlene liked it. Of course, there wasn't any other flower like it. How many people could claim to have picked a flower from the Lifestream? He had worried that it would wilt when they returned to the real world, but it seemed to be just fine. The flower had a soft glow to it, like it was full of more life than other flowers.

The flower wasn't the only unique thing in the vicinity. He shot a glance at the girl next to him, musing. The last Ancient. But that wasn't what really made her special. Aerith was a girl who had entered his life, and then turned it right around. She'd made him fall in love with her, then broke his heart, betrayed him so that he thought he'd never forgive her. Looking back, he thought about how angry he'd been. Being cured gave him clarity.

He had asked a lot of her – to give up the only family she'd ever known, to turn her back on her life and take his side. Only now did he realize how unfair that was. And he could see that she hadn't wanted to hurt him. She cared enough to come back for him, and to find out how to save his life. She was risking her own life now. She was amazing.

And she loved him.

He thought he still loved her, too. But he couldn't quite bring himself to say it back to her, for some reason, even though he knew he'd forgiven her already. Maybe a part of him was nervous that after everything that had happened, he wouldn't make it out after they went up against Shinra. Could he tell her that he felt the same if he wasn't sure how things were going to end up? Was it fair to her?

On the other hand, he knew she'd be devastated if he died fighting Shinra, regardless of whether he admitted he still loved her or not. She had already committed to loving him, and even if the sentiment wasn't returned, it wouldn't make the pain she felt any kinder. Thinking about it, he wondered if it would be worse that way – to love someone, have them die, and always wonder if they loved you back. Would it be any more fair for him to leave her wondering? It seemed so unnecessarily cruel.

He gave the flower another quick twirl, holding the petals up against his palm, the sensation pleasant, if a bit ticklish. Zack wasn't scared to die – he'd spent his whole life preparing for it. He wasn't scared to die if it meant stopping Shinra, not if it meant saving the Planet. That was a worthy sacrifice, surely. But he found he was scared of leaving Aerith behind; he was terrified of her dying, even though the chances of that happening were much slimmer than his chances were. Even though he had no problem with sacrifice for the greater good, he wanted to be around for her when it was all over.

The slums were beginning to lighten now, the morning sun finally peeking through, shining down on them in broken beams. They were still wet from the mako pool, and Aerith's hair was a mess. He hid a smile as she tried to comb her fingers through it, succeeding only in making it look worse.

"I wonder what sort of properties pure mako has on hair," Aerith said aloud. "Does it fix split ends? Moisturize to repair dry and damaged follicles?"

"Uh...I hadn't thought about it, honestly," Zack answered, bemused.

"Well, your hair has always looked so soft – I just wondered if it was from the mako," she said with a grin.

Zack wasn't sure if she was serious or not, but then she giggled and he knew she was yanking his chain.

"Ha, you're funny," he chuckled. "I'll have you know, I've always had great hair."

"Well, it looks dreadful right now," she said, reaching up and ruffling his hair.

"You're one to talk," he protested, shaking his head in a vain attempt to undo the damage she'd done. It was useless – his hair still had wet clumps, causing the longer strands to smack and stick to his cheeks. Aerith giggled again and brushed his hair away from his face, her fingertips leaving a trail of tingles as they went.

"So, who's Marlene?" Aerith asked as they continued to stroll through the streets. She asked the question innocently enough, but Zack thought he heard a trace of jealousy in her voice.

"Oh, just a girl," Zack answered nonchalantly, deciding to tease her some more.

"How did you meet?" Aerith asked, darting a look at him.

"She helped take care of me after I escaped from Shinra," Zack shrugged, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning. Aerith was looking particularly disgruntled now. She _was_ jealous.

"And you promised to bring her back a gift? That's...very nice of you." Aerith's brow had furrowed now as she tried to restrain a frown. Zack felt a pang of guilt now for messing with her. He decided to fess up.

"Aerith – Marlene's about four years old. She's probably expecting a pony."

"Four?" Aerith repeated, blinking at him. Then she scowled and hit him on the arm, quite hard.

"Ow!"

"Why didn't you tell me that in the first place? You let me think she was..." Aerith trailed off, looking embarrassed and angry at the same time.

"What? That she was my girlfriend or something?" Zack laughed. "You were jealous of her, weren't you?"  
Aerith shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest.  
"You were, just admit it," Zack continued to laugh. At this, Aerith huffed and picked up the pace, walking away from him quickly.

"Aerith!' Zack called out to her, his laughter ceasing. He caught up with her and grabbed her arm, forcing her to face him. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely, still grinning. "I just thought it was cute that you were jealous, honestly."

Aerith was quiet for a long moment, looking him in the eye seriously. Finally she spoke up again. "That was mean."

"It was a little," Zack agreed. "I couldn't help it. But you don't have to worry Aerith. There weren't any other girls. There wasn't exactly a lot of opportunities, what with being locked up and sick and dying and such."

"Right," she said sheepishly.

"Although, Marlene is convinced I'm her boyfriend," he added. "But I'm sure she'll like you, even though you've gone and stolen her man," he teased. At this, Aerith laughed.

"I didn't steal you," she protested.

"Try telling that to a four year old. She made me soup and everything. Well...she served me soup, at least. And then ate some of it."

"She sounds adorable."

Zack nodded in agreement. "She is. I think she's got everyone in that bar wrapped around her little fingers."

Aerith fell quiet again, and they walked on in silence. Zack got the feeling that something was bugging Aerith, however. She kept wringing her fingers together and messing with a loose thread on her dress.

"What's up?" he asked finally, nudging her with his elbow.

"Just...do you think they'll still be mad at me? Cloud and Tifa?"

"Well," Zack said slowly. "I don't think Tifa was mad at you in the first place. She's a little more logical than Cloud, I think, and she was never one to hold grudges if she could help it. That's just...Tifa. And Cloud, he'll come around. He's just..."

"Protective," Aerith offered, and Zack nodded.

"Right."

More silence between them. It was still quiet in the slums, because most everyone was still asleep. Even so, Zack thought he could smell the beginnings of breakfast coming from some of the run down homes – probably being made by people who had to go to work early just to get home too late. His own stomach rumbled in response. It felt like it had been forever since he'd eaten – or maybe now that he wasn't sick, his body was finally allowed to feel hunger again. Either way, he was starving.

Zack began to muse aloud. "It'll be good to see them again," he said, referring to his friends. "They're going to be so surprised. Amazed even. Hell, I'm still amazed. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and find out it was a dream."

"I hope not. If so, we're having the same dream," she said. "You know...I think that happened once."

"What, you woke up after having a really good dream?" he asked, slightly confused.

"No, I mean...I think we shared a dream."

"Did we?" he asked, startled. "When was this?"

"After you escaped from Shinra and I got back from Nibelheim. I went there looking for answers, you know, about me, about the Cetra..." she sighed, frowning. In the time they'd been reunited, she hadn't had much opportunity to tell him about her own discoveries at Nibelheim. "That door you never made it to, in the mansion – well, it held this library, I guess, full of information about what Shinra's gotten up to. Things I'm sure they'd much rather keep secret," she added with a scowl. "I didn't really get answers, mostly just more questions, but I learned some...troubling things." Aerith admitted this hesitantly, wondering just how much she should tell him. But she was tired of secrets – she wanted somebody to share it with. She wasn't sure if she could keep the burden of it to herself, anyway.

Her decision made, she caught Zack up on everything he'd missed – from finding out from Tseng that she was a Cetra, to leaving to Nibelheim with Sephiroth, to finding out about Jenova and the truth behind Sephiroth's birth. She even told him what the Planet had revealed to her – that Sephiroth's birth was intricately intertwined with Jenova, the alien that had tried to destroy the Planet once before.

"But...don't mention anything to Sephiroth, okay? I don't think anyone would do well with hearing they were genetically related to a monster and...you didn't see how being around Jenova affected Sephiroth. It was frightening, to be honest."

"So you're just going to let him think he's your brother, even though he's not really a Cetra?" Zack asked.

"Zack, Sephiroth _is_ my brother, even if we're not related by blood. I grew up with him, and he's always looked out for me. So it's not like I'll be pretending, and neither will he. He's my family."

She paused, waiting for Zack's reaction. He had never been fond of Sephiroth, that much she knew, but she'd always chalked it up to the fact that Sephiroth worked for Shinra. He was staring at her, a thoughtful look in his eyes, and then he nodded.

"Yeah. I get that." And he didn't say any more on the matter. "So, how exactly did this lead to us having the same dream, again?" Zack asked.

Aerith flushed, realizing she'd gone off on a very long tangent. The slums were coming alive with people now as they left their homes for work, and it had lightened enough in the slums to be considered morning.

"Oh, right," she said, laughing sheepishly. "When I got back and found out you were gone, I was kind of...panicking. But Cissnei made me get some sleep. In any case, I fell asleep and started dreaming about you and this place – I think it was Nibelheim, or a field there, but it was night -"  
"Yeah!" Zack exclaimed, cutting her off. "I remember that...you kind of came out of nowhere...and that kiss. Are you saying you were dreaming the same thing?" he asked, his cheeks darkening.

She shrugged, smiling coyly. "I didn't realize it at the time. Only after you started waking up did I suspect anything, and then when you were talking in the church, well, it just confirmed it."

"I mentioned the dream in the church?"

"You were a bit loopy at the time," Aerith said with a slight cough.

"Weird," Zack muttered fervently. "I guess it must have been our whole connection-to-the-Planet thing. That made us share a dream, I mean."

"Most likely," Aerith agreed.

"That dream made me realize you were important somehow. I had to beg Cloud and Tifa to tell me who you were."

"What do you mean?" she asked sharply, and Zack faltered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you – I, uh, kind of had amnesia right after I escaped from Shinra. I think it was from all the shit Hojo was pumping into me. Most of the time I couldn't stay awake when I was there, I just remember him being there, and...lots of needles." Zack shuddered. "When I woke up, Cissnei was there, and she was holding a needle, too...I guess she saved me, but at the time I couldn't remember who she was. I just knew I had to get out of there. Remind me to thank her," he added. "When I first saw Cloud, I didn't even remember who he was. It took me a while to remember who you were, but it all came back...eventually."

Aerith was scowling now, but not at him. "Hojo," she spat, her expression akin to a person who had just eaten something very unpleasant. "He's a despicable man!"

"Yeah, I don't think I'll be inviting him to my next birthday party," Zack said lightly.

"This isn't funny," Aerith sighed.

Zack shrugged. "Not dying makes a whole lot of things funnier. And I think this whole situation just needs a little bit of...levity," he decided. "We've been far too serious, and we're going to be very serious coming up soon, so I say we take a break and just make fun of things and have fun. And more importantly, we should have breakfast!" he announced, throwing his arms up into the air as his stomach grumbled.

This seemed to loosen Aerith up a little, because she smiled and laughed, hiding her mouth behind her hand.

"Just hold on, the bar's right up there. You can have Cloud make you breakfast," she joked.

"I think Marlene will want to, especially after I bring her this _wonderful _gift. Besides, didn't you know that all girlfriends are supposed to cook for their boyfriends?" Zack asked. "And since Marlene thinks I'm her boyfriend, she'll want to make me break-" Zack was cut off as Aerith shoved him forward so forcefully that he nearly face-planted. He pinwheeled his arms to regain his balance, and managed not to fall over. "Hey!"

"That is such a sexist thing to say, Zack Fair!"

"I was only kidding," Zack laughed. "I'll cook you breakfast sometimes, too," he promised.

"You will?" she asked softly, her mood swinging abruptly from annoyed to shy, and a cute little blush grew on her cheeks.

"Of course," he replied just as quietly, stepping toward her and kissing her cheek quickly. "But I only know how to heat frozen waffles in a toaster, so I hope you like waffles."

Aerith started to laugh again, shaking her head. "I've never had to cook for myself in Shinra. I'll probably burn anything I make you," she confessed.

"I guess we'll have to learn how to cook together," he chuckled. Aerith looked up at him with her green eyes, and he felt something stir in him. She was giving him a look he'd seen Cloud and Tifa share a thousand times over, but it was never a look he'd experienced for himself. It was making his stomach do backflips, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

The backflips seemed to make his stomach growl louder, though, because at that moment, his stomach rumbled and gurgled noisily, breaking the mood.

"Let's get you fed," Aerith laughed, poking his stomach.

With a mixture of disappointment, excitement, and naturally, hunger, Zack followed Aerith into a little bar called Seventh Heaven.

* * *

Cloud turned in the bed for the thousandth time, huffing to himself. He was antsy and disgruntled. _Stupid Turks, _he thought, scowling into his pillow. Sleep had been elusive to him this night, coming to him when he least expected it, only to slip away again, leaving him wide awake in the dark, his thoughts churning.

"Cloud, go to sleep," Tifa mumbled next to him, her hair mussed. She hadn't had any trouble falling asleep, he noted. Wasn't she worried about Zack, he wondered? He felt guilty after having thinking that. Of course she was worried – she needed the rest, though, so her leg could heal.

"Sorry," he whispered again. His constant tossing and turning had woken Tifa up more than once in the middle of the night. "I just...can't get my head to settle down."

She cracked open a bleary eye at him, regarding him sleepily. "There's nothing we can do," she finally said. "It's up to Aerith." Then she closed her eye again and rolled back over, clearly intent on stealing a few more moments of sleep.

Cloud sighed, tossing the blanket off himself and sliding out of the bed. He paused, watching Tifa, who was curled up in the bed, her dark hair splayed out on the pillow around her head, her cotton shirt beginning to ride up her stomach.

He felt a rush of desire at seeing the soft skin exposed there, but he reached over and pulled the shirt back down gently, then with a rustle of cloth, covered her with the blanket. She grasped at the blanket clumsily and murmured something incomprehensible in her sleep, bringing a small smile to Cloud's face.

Cloud crept out of the room, easing the door shut behind him, then made his way downstairs to the still dark bar. He knew he couldn't sleep, but he didn't see why he had to keep waking Tifa up anymore. It was strange, he mused, how much older he felt since he'd come to Midgar, like the bleak city had stolen away what remained of his childhood. Or maybe it was just because he was faced with so much more responsibility now. Or maybe it was all those life-threatening situations he'd been put through since he'd come to the city. Or a combination of it all.

He ran his fingers through his hair wearily, pulling at the tangles until they came loose. He flicked on the lights as he descended the stairs, waiting as the old lightbulbs flickered to life, casting a murky yellow glow. _Barret ought to change these lights, _Cloud thought to himself, even though he knew that lights were hardly Barret's biggest concern. He peered into the small refrigerator hidden in the back; a half empty carton of milk and what looked to be one of Marlene's 'creations' sat in the fridge. He let the door close with a click and sat down heavily on one of the bar stools.

Cloud was itching to get out of the place, but he knew he couldn't. The reason why was sitting in one of the wooden chairs, directly in front of the bar door, looking sullen, her red hair tumbling around her face. Cissnei had been left to watch over them – _like we're convicts or something!_ - much to her own displeasure. Unfortunately for her, Tseng, Reno, and Rude had to return to Shinra's HQ before anyone got too suspicious about their whereabouts.

"What about me?" Cissnei had asked.

"You're on vacation," Tseng had replied with a shrug. Cissnei had scowled at him, much the same she was scowling at Cloud now.

"Lousy vacation," she'd muttered.

After they'd left, she hadn't said a word to any of them, merely guarding the door to keep any of them from leaving. The only people allowed to come and go were customers, who often didn't stay long due to the glaring Turk at the door.

Barret had complained that she was bad for business. Cloud thought she was bad for escape plans. His stomach grumbled quietly, and he got up again, opening the fridge once more. Nothing had changed; nothing had magically appeared in the fridge in the few minutes he had left it alone.

"Did you expect something different?" Cissnei asked in a flat voice, and Cloud started, hitting his head against the edge of the fridge. He closed the door and rubbed at his head furiously, glaring at her.

"Not really," he replied.

"Then why did you look again?" she asked coolly.

"Oh, I don't know," he grumbled. "Does it matter?"

"Not particularly," she said, shifting on the chair. He hoped her butt was numb and that she had a crick in her neck from sitting on the hard chair all night.

Cissnei was quite suddenly flung forward as the door to the bar was thrust open, and Cloud felt some satisfaction to see that she barely caught herself. Then Cloud tensed, wondering just who was entering the bar at such an early hour.

"Wow, doesn't anybody lock doors around here?" a familiar voice asked, and Cloud dug his finger into his ear vigorously, sure he hadn't heard correctly. His eyes seemed to be playing tricks on him as well, because standing in the doorway was Zack, standing tall and grinning broadly, looking for all the world more healthy and whole than Cloud had ever seen him.

"I must still be asleep," Cloud said to himself, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes.

Aerith appeared behind him, blinking into the darkness before her gaze dropped to the floor, where Cissnei was crouching awkwardly on the floor, rubbing her back and complaining.

"Doesn't anyone knock around here?" Cissnei shot back at Zack, frowning.

"Whoops!" Zack exclaimed, then swooped down and pulled Cissnei up from the floor. "Sorry – I didn't realize you were in front of the door," he added sheepishly. She returned his gaze with an unreadable expression on her face, but she didn't say another word.  
"Z-Zack?" Cloud stuttered, pinching himself. _Ouch. Not asleep, then._ "Is it really you?"

"In the flesh," Zack crowed, beaming.

"You look...you look," Cloud fumbled for the words, quite unable to believe it.

"I look good, don't I?" Zack asked, arching his brow cockily. Then he relaxed into a joyful smile again.

Cloud's brain was unable to grasp that his friend was somehow healthy again, so he settled onto another topic.

"What are you doing with _her?_" he asked. Zack's smile faded a bit.

"Didn't Cissnei tell you I was with Aerith?"

"Well yeah, but...why are you both here? Together? She's -"

Zack held his hand up to stop Cloud. "Cloud, Aerith saved me. She cured me. For good."

Cloud blinked stupidly, first at his best friend, and then at Aerith. "You did?" he asked her blankly.

She nodded almost imperceptibly. "Yes. He's not dying anymore."

Cloud did the only thing that made sense. He strode forward and threw his arms around Aerith in a hug. "Thank you," he said lowly, "for saving my best friend."

Aerith looked both pleased and embarrassed by his sudden display of affection. "I – oh...well, of course...I couldn't let him..." she trailed off, patting his back awkwardly. "I'm just glad...you're not still mad at me."

Cloud pulled away, biting at his lip. "I...I'm sorry about that. For not trusting-"

"No! You had no reason to trust me after-"

"-but you were only trying to help-"

"-the impression I must have given-"

Zack threw his arms around the both of them. "You're both turning into blabbering idiots. Idiots that I love, of course," he added hastily at the expression on Aerith's face. "But I'm hungry!"

"Cloud, what's going on?" Tifa's sleepy voice drifted down to them, and Cloud twisted his head around to see her hobbling down the stairs. She stopped, her mouth dropping open in surprise as she spotted Zack.

"Zack!" she exclaimed, then practically fell down the stairs as she tried to hobble faster. Zack had the presence of mind to release Cloud and Aerith and he hurried forward, catching Tifa before she fell.

"Don't get too excited, now," Zack chuckled, and Tifa wrapped her arms around him, laughing and hugging him.

"You're here!"

"Thanks to Aerith," Zack told her.

"See, Cloud? I told you," Tifa said knowingly, shooting him a look over Zack's shoulder.

Cloud shrugged and grinned back at her abashedly. "You were right," he relented, but he didn't mind that she was right this time. Not that he'd ever minded much before, either. Tifa was usually right. Cloud's eyes drifted over to Aerith, who had sidled over to Cissnei. The two of them appeared to be having a silent conversation; no words were spoken, but their body language and facial expressions indicated that they were communicating. Somehow.

_ Secret girl code,_ Cloud assumed to himself.

A few more moments of their secret girl code later, and Cissnei pulled her cell phone out and dismissed herself. Well, she didn't dismiss herself so much as just walked away from the rest of the group and out the door. Cloud wasn't particularly sad to see her go, though he supposed (rather reluctantly) that it hadn't been her choice to stay and watch them either.

"How'd it happen?" Tifa asked, stepping back from Zack to take a good look at him. Zack and Aerith shared a look now, uncertainty flickering between them.

"...It's a long story, to be honest," he confessed. "And..." Zack's eyes darted to Aerith again. "Kind of unbelievable," he finished, scratching the back of his head.

Tifa grinned wryly. "I think we're used to unbelievable things, Zack."

"Like you surviving a reactor explosion-"

"-or needing to take monthly baths in mako to survive-"

"-and you getting abducted by Shinra and escaping-" Cloud chimed in again.

"-not to mention the two of us following you the whole way here," Tifa added thoughtfully, and Zack held his hands up in defeat.

"Alright, alright, I get it. We've dealt with more..._unusual_ happenings than most people," he concurred. "It's just..." he hesitated again. "I'd tell you, but..." he was looking at Aerith again, uncertainty on his face, and Cloud understood. Zack didn't mind telling his own secrets – in fact, Cloud doubted there were many that Zack kept to himself. He shared most everything with his best friends. But Zack couldn't divulge someone else's secrets – and Cloud suspected that whatever Aerith had done to heal Zack was a part of her own story, and for whatever reason, she wanted to keep it to herself.

"Don't worry about it," Cloud said quickly, and he caught the grateful look on Aerith's face before it slipped into nervousness.

"Thanks," she muttered.

"Can we please do breakfast now?" Zack moaned, much to the amusement of Cloud and Tifa.

"Not that there's much to eat," Cloud complained, remembering his uneventful trip to the refrigerator.

"Barret's just taken to hiding all the good food since we got here," Tifa said helpfully.

"What for?" Cloud questioned indignantly.

"You were eating it all," Tifa chuckled. "I'll be right back," she said, limping away.

"Can you believe that?" Cloud asked Zack, glaring at Tifa's retreating figure. "He tells _her_ where the food is, but hides it from me!"

"To be honest, I can believe it," Zack laughed. Cloud punched him in the arm, but he smiled, unable to articulate how great it felt to have his best friend back, even if he'd been delivered by a person he'd long regarded as the enemy. That thought made his smile falter momentarily. He had been so stubborn about Aerith, repeating to himself and others that she was to be feared and hated because of her affiliation with Shinra. He'd wanted someone to blame, someone to be mad at. There had been so much anger at having his best friend taken away from him, and to him, she had been the prime person to put it on – the reason Shinra had come to Nibelheim, the reason Zack's heart had been crushed, the reason he'd been taken away, because she hadn't stopped them.

But Aerith was also the reason he'd stayed alive as long as he had, and she was now the reason that Zack was cured. His relief at finding Zack alive and whole had overwhelmed him, and he'd meant it when he'd hugged Aerith and apologized. But now that he had a moment to think, he wondered what would happen now. Would they go their separate ways? Would Aerith go with them, or would she expect Zack to stay while she continued to work with Shinra? Then again, if Shinra found out what Aerith had done, it would be just like Cissnei had said – they surely wouldn't want her working for them. In fact, she'd probably be in danger.

His brows furrowed at this. In spite of his previous dislike for her, he wouldn't wish her dead. He imagined how miserable Zack would be if that happened. No, what good was having his best friend back if he wasn't happy, too? Whatever happened, Cloud knew he'd stay to help Aerith. She'd earned that much, at least.

"Why the long face?" Zack interrupted his thoughts.

"Oh, nothing," Cloud said mildly at length. "Just...I'm really glad you're better."

"Hey, me too. Who would have thought?"

All serious conversation ceased when Tifa returned with fresh rations. "Cloud, you'd better get your cute butt over here and help me cook, because I'm not doing it myself," she said sternly, and Cloud's cheeks flushed.

"Yeah, Cloud, get your cute butt over there," Zack teased.

"Shut up," Cloud muttered. Apparently Zack's near death experiences hadn't diminished his oh-so-great sense of humor, Cloud thought darkly. But he still got up to help Tifa, because hurt leg or not, he didn't want to face her wrath should he choose not to help.

* * *

The smell of breakfast soon roused everyone else in Seventh Heaven, including an extremely excited little girl.

"Zack!" Marlene had cried when she saw him standing near the bar, and she launched herself at him, jumping up into his open arms and clinging to him. "You're back!"

"Hey kiddo!" Zack laughed, ruffling her hair. "Of course I'm back. I promised to bring you a gift, remember?"

Aerith watched with a smile as Zack produced the beautiful flower from the Lifestream and presented it to the little girl, who was positively ecstatic about her gift.

"Wow!" she gushed. Aerith knew Marlene had probably never seen a flower in the slums before. "Where did you get it Zack?" Marlene asked, stroking the petals of the flower gently, mouth slightly open.

"I traveled all the way to the Lifestream to get it for you," he said, tickling her sides with his fingers. She giggled and squirmed until she could dance out of his reach. "It's a very special flower, so make sure to take care of it, okay?" he said, poking her nose.

"Uh course!" she said loudly. "I need a vase," she demanded, holding the stem of her flower in her clenched fist. Aerith knew the flower wouldn't live long in a vase, and she stepped in with her own suggestion.

"How about we plant it outside? It will live longer that way; flowers like soil and sunshine, and even though there's not a lot down here, it'll make do," she told the little girl, who seemed to notice her for the first time, and was staring wide eyed, and a little suspiciously.

"It's okay, Marlene," Zack told her, kneeling down beside the girl. "This is Aerith. She grows flowers in her church, so she knows all about keeping them alive."

"Okay!" Marlene said brightly, and so saying, marched over to Aerith and grabbed her hand in her smaller, slightly sticky one. "Lessgo!"

Aerith gave Zack a bewildered smile as she let the little girl drag her out the door. "I'll save you some breakfast," he said, swiping a strip of bacon from Cloud with a cheeky grin. So Aerith let Marlene tug her outside, marveling at how the girl had switched so rapidly from suspicion to trust. Had she, Aerith, been so easily swayed as a child? Surely not...but her life had been somewhat different than Marlene's.

"What about here?" Marlene asked, pointing down to the dirt. It was dry and cracked, not at all suitable for growing flowers.

"That's just dirt," Aerith explained. "What we really need is soil..."

"Soil?" Marlene asked quizzically.

"It's like dark dirt. But soft and...loamy. So the flower can grow and thrive."

"Okaaaaaay..." the little girl said skeptically while Aerith's eyes swept over the ground. Her hopes weren't high – hardly anything grew out in the slums, with the exception of the flowers in her church. But maybe she could convince the Planet to help her out a little...

"Ah, here we go," Aerith said, pointing down to a spot near the bar. The ground there was softer and not so dry – not ideal conditions, but better than she had expected for the area. She knelt down, now level with Marlene. She scooped at the earth, clumps coming up and then crumbling in her fingers, trickling down like sand in an hourglass. It made her think of how little time she felt she had. At the moment, everyone was inside, filling their bellies and chatting in good cheer. But she knew that soon that cheerfulness would evaporate, and then they would have to plan and plot and scheme against Shinra to save the Planet. It seemed a very overwhelming task, and Aerith wanted to curl up somewhere and just rest for a while.

"Aerith?" Marlene asked in a small voice, and Aerith blinked until her eyes refocused. She'd gotten quite lost in her own thoughts.

"Sorry," she apologized quietly, then scooped more dirt away. "There, just put the flower there," she said, indicating to the small hole she'd dug with her hands. Marlene held the flower in place for her while she dumped the soil back into the hole, patting it down so the flower wouldn't come loose and get blown away in the wind.

"You'll have to make sure to water it. Not everyday – you don't want to drown it."

"No," Marlene agreed eagerly, eyes wide.

"Teaching little girls your trade, Aerith?" an amused voice called; Aerith turned, grinning at Cissnei.

"Someone needs to keep the world beautiful while I'm busy." Beside her, Marlene gasped and grabbed at her dress, trying to hid herself behind Aerith's legs.

"She's mean," Marlene whimpered, glaring at Cissnei from the safety of her hiding spot.

"What did you do to her?" Aerith asked, placing a placating hand on Marlene's head.

"Hey, she's the one who bit me!"

"You hurt my daddy and made Zack go away!" Marlene huffed, her little face turning red with anger. She was still clutching Aerith's dress, though, clearly frightened of Cissnei.

"It's okay," Aerith said soothingly. "Cissnei's my friend."

"She's a mean friend," Marlene pointed out. "She hurts people."

"You should tell Marlene you're sorry," Aerith said, hiding a smile. Cissnei shot her a dark look.

"I'm...sorry, Marlene," Cissnei muttered, but the little girl just stuck her tongue out at Cissnei, then fled inside, scared by her own daring and at the thought of what the red-headed lady would do to her.

"Remind me to never have kids," Cissnei grumbled.

"She's sweet. She thinks Zack's her boyfriend," she said, covering her mouth to smother a giggle. "He even brought this flower back for her," she said, gazing down at the brilliant flower, nudging it with her foot softly.

Cissnei stared at the flower in silence, her expression unreadable. Then: "Where did he get that?"

Aerith thought for a moment that Cissnei looked sad, but then the expression was gone, replaced by the blankness that she knew meant Cissnei was trying to hide something from her.

"It's a long story," she murmured, fingers picking at her eyebrow absently.

"We've got time, don't we?"

Time. No, they didn't particularly have time – Shinra had somehow gained control over that aspect of her life, too. But she would do her best to make time for Cissnei.

Nodding in agreement, Aerith reached over and grasped her friend's hand, tugging her down to the ground, sitting with her knees to her chest, the bottom of her dress tickling her calves. Aerith had been glad that Zack had not shared all her secrets with Cloud and Tifa, even though they were his best friends. Cissnei was already privy to the news that she was a Cetra, though, so she had no qualms about telling her what had transpired. She kept the more personal aspects of their trip to the Lifestream to herself, though. She wasn't quite sure how to describe to her best friend how connected she had felt there, how even the most mundane blade of grass was full of life and energy. The feeling was beyond what words could convey. She didn't tell Cissnei about how Zack had cried, or how she had confessed to loving him. Cissnei already knew that she loved Zack, and recalling the memory made her feel faintly embarrassed even now.

Maybe Cissnei sense that Aerith was holding back parts of the story, because by the time Aerith finished telling her tale, Cissnei was scrutinizing her with a curious expression.

"I feel like...there's more to it than what you've said."

Aerith shrugged guiltily, fingers picking at the fringe of her dress. "Some of it's just...hard to explain."

"...Oh." Cissnei's voice was flat, and when Aerith peeked over at her, she was staring resolutely in front of her, determinedly not looking in Aerith's direction.

"Cissnei..." Aerith pleaded tentatively. Then her red-haired friend turned and grinned wryly at her, but it was tinged with sadness.

"It's stupid that I'm jealous of him."

"What? Zack?" Aerith asked, confused.

"Yes," Cissnei exhaled forcefully. "Isn't it...stupid?"

"But why?" Aerith asked quietly, reaching over and touching her friend's arm. Cissnei shied away, looking down at her splayed feet awkwardly.

"You used to be able to tell me anything. Everything. Remember? Now you're keeping secrets from me...and I _know_ he knows. He's...taking you away from me. Stealing my best friend," she whispered, hanging her head.

"No, Cissnei-"

But Cissnei shook her head. "It's true. I know I sound ridiculous and...the fact of the matter is, it's true, even if you don't want to acknowledge it. So don't pretend with me; I know you better than that Aerith. And I deserve more."

Aerith frowned, feeling hurt by Cissnei's words. "I didn't mean for it to happen like this," Aerith whispered. "Believe me when I say that. And you're still my best friend, no matter what."

Cissnei shook her head, a strained laugh escaping her. "Can't you see that's not true, Aerith? The best implies number one. I'm not that person anymore. _He_ is. He's replaced me," she finished, her voice cracking. It had been a very long time since Aerith had ever seen Cissnei close to crying. Aerith leaned toward her friend, intending to comfort her, but Cissnei backed away just as quickly. She looked more vulnerable than Aerith could ever remember seeing her.

Cissnei hesitated, then got up quickly, brushing the dirt from her suit. The vulnerability was brushed away with it, and she was all business again. "I know you didn't mean for this, Aerith. And I know that you're going to stay and help him. It was written all over your face when you showed up...or maybe I'm just good at reading you after all these years," she said thoughtfully with a dark chuckle. Guilt rushed through Aerith. She didn't know how to console her friend. She couldn't _not_ make Cissnei feel this way, not unless she forgot all about Zack...and she couldn't do that, not now, after everything, with all the things she felt for him. She loved Cissnei – the younger girl was her best friend, her sister...but she loved Zack, too. They were different kinds of love, but both important, all the same. "But I'm not sure if I want to help him. I don't get along with these people," she said with a expansive gesture to the bar. "And they certainly don't have any fondness for me."

Aerith opened her mouth to protest – how was she going to do this without Cissnei beside her? "If you just let them see the real you," she insisted. "You act so...cold around them."

"I don't trust them...and sometimes I wonder why you do. Maybe I'm just being paranoid...but everyone I thought I could trust has turned out to be the bad guy, with a few exceptions. You'll still have the other Turks. Tseng will make sure of that," Cissnei said, shrugging hopelessly. "Just give me some time to myself, okay? I...I need some sleep. Clear my head."

Then, Cissnei was walking away at a fast pace, and Aerith stumbled as she tried to get up, to hurry after her.

"Aerith, things okay out here?" Zack asked as he poked his head out the door.

"Cissnei!" she called in exasperation, stumbling after her. "Where are you going?"

"To sleep – just like I told you!" she called back coolly, without turning around. Aerith came to a stop as she watched Cissnei walk away, feeling oddly empty.

"What's with her?" Zack asked as he came up beside her, a piece of toast held in his hand. "I uh...brought you some toast," he said awkwardly, as though he could sense something wasn't quite right. Aerith didn't take the toast. She didn't feel the slightest bit hungry now. Instead, she buried her face in her hands and groaned. Nothing was ever easy.

* * *

After breakfast, Zack had apologized, but taken the opportunity to pass out for a while. All the excitement of the morning had finally gotten to him, and he was worn out again. Aerith didn't mind. She had to call someone anyway.

The image of Cissnei walking away still fresh in her mind, she speed-dialed Tseng.

"Aerith?" his voice came through the speaker. Just the sound of his voice helped to take some of the tension away.

"Tseng...I need to speak with you. Please."

"Where are you?" he said briskly. No questions asked. It was one of the reasons she loved Tseng like a father.

"At the bar in Sector 7..."

"Right. I should have known. I'll be there soon." _Click_. He hung up, and she knew he was already on his way, probably putting off whatever he'd been working on. The turmoil she'd been feeling calmed somewhat at the prospect of being able to speak with Tseng. He'd know why Cissnei was acting the way she was.

When he arrived, she threw her arms around him, feeling some of the burden that had been weighing on her lift. She was more relieved to see him than she had thought she would be. She had missed him.

"Now," he said as he pulled away, the warm smile he always gave her on his lips. "What was so urgent that I had to come rushing down here?"

"I never said it was urgent," she said, trying to grin.

"I could hear it in your voice, Aerith. You're too easy to read, sometimes."

Aerith shrugged glumly, no longer trying to force a smile. "I...it's Cissnei, Tseng!" She blurted the whole story to him, and by the end, she was feeling tearful and desperate. "Why can't she see there are much more important things going on here?" she asked.

Tseng chuckled and shook his head. "She's young, Aerith. Just like you."

"I'm not that young," she said defensively.

"Don't misunderstand me," he reprimanded her gently. "Both of you are very mature for your ages – you have to be. And I'm sure Cissnei understands there's much at stake. But when you're young, it can be very difficult to ignore what you're feeling. Understanding what one should do and trying to do it isn't always easy."

"She isn't trying very hard," Aerith muttered, her cheeks heating.

"She's been trying for a long time, Aerith. She supported you when you left without her to learn about your past, and when you decided to give up everything for a single boy. She's encouraged you to go after him, because she knows how you feel about him. She wants you to be happy. I think it's finally hitting her exactly where she fits in that equation.

"I know you want her to accept everything and help you with this...but she's young," he said again, his voice softer still. "And it isn't easy to accept that you're being replaced, no matter what your age."

"Tseng...?"

Now he was smiling sadly. "He's become a much bigger part of your life, and he's taking the places of other people. Where you used to come to us, you'll go to him instead. Cissnei knows this, and so do I. But I understand you're not trying to remove us – you're just growing up." He was speaking fondly now, but Aerith's heart was beating very fast as this realization crashed over her. She shook her head.

"No, I still need you both...I do," she whispered urgently. She didn't want things to change, not like this!

"For now," Tseng acquiesced. "But less and less every day."

"No," she insisted. "You're still important to me. Both of you."

Tseng chuckled. "I know. Give Cissnei a little time, Aerith. She'll come to the same realization. Just let her...process things."

"We don't have time," Aerith said in frustration.

"She'll come around," he assured her, and his tone brooked no more argument. "Now, shall I call the others up?"

"How'd you know?" she asked with a grin.

"Because I know _you_," he said simply, flicking open his cell phone.

* * *

It wasn't until dark had fallen again that the others were able to start gathering at the bar. They trickled in at different times and in different manners. First was the Turk who'd stopped Cloud before he could take off; he was so clean and pale that Tifa could hardly imagine him dirty, and she wondered how he'd come to be the leader of the Turks – surely, that was what they specialized in, wasn't it? Shinra's dirty work? But the words 'dirty work' seemed too contradictory when said in context with this man. He and Aerith were speaking softly, though; they were clearly comfortable with one another. Tifa thought his name might have been Tseng – wasn't that the man Aerith had often mentioned, back in Nibelheim? His eyes were a surprisingly calming brown, and everything about him gave off the aura of complete control.

After Tseng, the two other Turks she recognized appeared. The one with red hair sauntered in like he owned the place, sweeping back the tails of his open jacket and sliding his hands deep into his pockets. He paused when he entered the bar, rocked back on the heels of his shiny black shoes, then shot her a grin and a cheeky wink. He loosened his already loose tie even more, then collapsed into one of the chairs, throwing his feet up on a table. In spite of his relaxed attitude, Tifa watched as his eyes scanned carefully over everyone and everything in the bar.

"You shouldn't put your feet on the table," Tifa blurted to him, frowning. "People eat there, you know." The Turk grinned wider, showing off remarkably white teeth, the red scars under his eyes stretching with his grin, staring insolently back at her, as if to say, "How are you going to make me?"

"Reno," the man behind him said, and Reno shot him a suffering look, sighed, then relented, his feet sliding off the table. Tifa turned her attention to the other Turk. He was a giant of a man with an expressionless face and a bald head. He was wearing sunglasses, but now he was taking them off, sliding them inside his jacket pocket. She noticed a pair of fighting gloves in his pocket as well.

"You fight?" she asked suddenly, curious. He was certainly big enough to hold himself in a fight, that much was certain. Of course, size wasn't always an indicator of a good fighter.

"You're observant." His voice was deep, but quiet, like he didn't often speak. Tifa shrugged in response, awaiting an answer. "...Yes," he finally said.

"Me too," she said, wondering what style of fighting he employed, and she briefly entertained the idea of trying to best him in a duel. He had the advantage of height and weight on her, but she would probably be quicker, more agile...

She snapped out of it. He was staring at her now, like he'd never seen anything quite like her. He cleared his throat and looked away, and she _swore_ his cheeks turned pink.

"We should train together some time," he said slowly, his eyes darting back to her.

"Oh, uh," she hesitated, remembering that he was a Turk. Would it be wise to trust him? Aerith did of course, but she knew nothing about him..."I can't really," she explained lamely. "My leg..." It was still bandaged up and it _itched like crazy_.

"I have an extra potion that might work," the man offered.

Reno suddenly laughed. "Rude, I don't think I've heard you talk this much ever, and now you're giving our potions away?"

And then Tifa's view was blocked by a shock of yellow hair, and Cloud was there, steering her away from the two Turks.

"Did you want that potion?" Rude asked as Cloud led her away, but Cloud called back hastily over his shoulder.

"She's good! Aerith's going to heal her leg, and she'll be good as new. So keep your potions, thanks! Aerith!" he called rather loudly, even though she was in the same room. "Do your magic heal-y thing, if you would. Tifa's leg has been bothering her for days!"

"Oh, yeah, sure," Aerith said, but Tifa was barely paying attention to her. She was watching Cloud, who seemed to have lost his mind. Now he was glaring at Rude, who must have been two times his size.

"Are you insane, Cloud?" she hissed.

"What?" he answered distractedly, keeping his eyes glued to the Turk. "Of course not."

"Well, why do you keep glaring at him? He could pummel you into the ground, quite frankly."

"I'm not glaring," he muttered, but his eyebrows refused to relax. They were two angry lines on his forehead, almost meeting in the middle. Was he...?

"Are you jealous?" she whispered, disbelieving. He didn't really think that _the Turk_ she'd just met actually liked her, did he?

"No," Cloud scoffed, but his face said otherwise. Then Tifa shook her head, laughing softly. Some girls might have been annoyed by Cloud's possessiveness, but she found it oddly endearing. Even if it was completely bonkers of him. She felt a warmth rush along her leg, and it shot upward, warming her insides too. Her cheeks felt very hot, too, and as she looked at Cloud, who was still looking grumpily at Rude, affection surged up inside of her. She threw her arms around Cloud without warning, nuzzling his neck.

"You're so cute when you're jealous," she murmured, planting a kiss by his ear. He looked a bit startled by the sudden turn of events, and Tifa heard Aerith laugh behind her.

"Oops. Sorry about that – people always react differently to my magic, I'm afraid. Sometimes it has the tendency to...amplify whatever a person's feeling. It'll wear off in a bit," she promised. Tifa continued to place kisses along Cloud's jaw, down to his chin and back up to his ear again. Cloud placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her away gently, his face on fire, looking embarrassed and pleased at the same time.

"Tifa!" he whispered, eyes darting to all the people watching them. She just beamed at him. He really was too cute, not to mention awfully sweet. Now, Aerith was standing next to them, her hand covering her mouth to smother her laughter. Her shoulders still shook, though, and her eyes were filled with mirth.

"She's very affectionate, Cloud," Aerith spluttered in between her laughter. Tifa peered at the giggling girl, and she realized how grateful she was to Aerith for healing her leg. Cloud was right – it _had _been bothering her for _ages_.

"Thank you so much, Aerith!" Tifa gushed, throwing her arms around the other girl in her gratitude.

"Hey now!" Reno piped up, leering in their direction. "Check this out, Rude!"

Tseng sighed. "Reno, do try to be a little less lecherous, would you?"

"Oh...right, boss," Reno shrugged, unapologetic and smirking. "Just enjoying the view, that's all."

Aerith carefully extracted herself from Tifa's embrace, still smiling. "Cloud, you should probably take her somewhere until the magic wears off and she returns to normal," she suggested.

"Why would I want to go back to normal?" Tifa asked. "I feel great!" And she did – like nothing could possibly go wrong. But, going somewhere alone with Cloud didn't sound like a bad idea either. "Alright, come on, Cloud," she said, snagging his hand and tugging him along. Her leg felt so good, she felt like skipping – so she did, dragging Cloud along her, right past a sleepy-eyed Zack, who appeared completely befuddled as to _why_ she was skipping. Couldn't he tell? Sweet, clueless boy.

"I take it your leg's better?" he called after her as she skipped away.

"Yup!" she crowed back.

Honestly, Tifa didn't think things could get anymore fantastic.

* * *

Zack shuffled over to where Aerith was, rubbing his eyes. "I just watched Tifa skip away with Cloud."

"That's my fault, I'm afraid," Aerith admitted, smiling at him. "I healed her leg for her...you know how my magic can be," she said with a shrug.

"Oh," he nodded, suppressing a yawn. "I'm glad she's better. And how about you?" he asked, glancing down at her worriedly. "You seem a bit...off." Aerith shrugged and looked away from him. "It's Cissnei, isn't it?" She didn't answer for a long moment, then she met his eyes and nodded miserably. Her mouth was twisted up in a frown, and it made him want to kiss her until it went away.

"I'm sorry," he said instead, because Tseng was watching him closely, and Zack hadn't failed to notice that Tseng's hand was resting on his gun. Aerith shrugged again, scratching at her chin.

"Tseng says she'll come around. I really hope he's right."

Zack reached for her hand and squeezed it in his own, unsure of what to say to her, but wanting to comfort her all the same. Maybe it was because he got the feeling he was part of the problem, and it made him feel guilty. She smiled softly and squeezed his hand back.

"So, what's going on? What'd I miss?"

"I called a little meeting to talk about Shinra."

"Oh?" Zack stared at Aerith. She had been serious after all. She was actually going to help him against Shinra.

"Yes. We're just waiting for everyone to get here," she replied, her eyes fixated on the door. He took the opportunity to assess who was already there. Obviously, they'd have to wait for Tifa and Cloud to return. Barret was shooing customers out the door, and though a few complained, he waved his gun at them and they scattered. Off in the corner, Wedge, Biggs, and Jessie were talking in low voices, shooting furious, suspicious glances to the opposite end of the bar. Tseng was standing with two Turks he didn't recognize, but clearly AVALANCHE knew who they were, judging from the ugly looks they were giving. Zack guessed they were still waiting for one of Aerith's people.

He sank onto one of the bar stools, leaning back so his elbows were resting on the bar and the stool was standing on two feet. He rocked back and forth, chewing on his lip. Even though he'd only been waiting for a few minutes, he was already feeling antsy. He tapped his fingers on the edge of the bar in a persistent beat, followed by his foot on the stool leg, until he started to bob his head in time with his made up beat. He felt Aerith's eyes on him, and he tilted his head toward her, smiling lazily while quirking his eyebrow upward. Her cheeks darkened, but she returned the smile. His grin widening, he leaned toward her, his head still bobbing. He let out a laugh as she shoved his shoulder playfully.

"You don't want to dance with me?" he asked, rapping his knuckles against the counter top. He rocked his shoulders back and forth now and held out one hand for her while the other beat away on the bar. She was even redder now, but she was laughing and shaking her head.

"You're ridiculous," she said through her laughter. He knew he was – but it was worth it, to see her smiling instead of staring glumly at the door.

"Come on," he begged, then grabbed her hand. "Indulge me." He let his stool legs fall back to the ground and he hopped up, pulling Aerith toward him. Another laugh escaped her, and he spun her.

"There's no music, Zack," she spluttered, giggling as he dipped her clumsily.

"Of course there is," he said dismissively. Even though she was resisting weakly, he could see the joy in her eyes, and so he kept on dancing around, feeling foolish, but pleased.

"Fine," she said, and she stopped trying to pull away and let Zack swirl her around the bar. Sometimes he got too exuberant and she nearly spun right into a chair, but he always caught her and pulled her back to him. She was laughing freely now, and it seemed like the worry and tension she'd been carrying bled away with every spin and dip he put her through.

A sudden crash broke the spell that had fallen over them, and Aerith, breathless and pink-faced, straightened quickly, brushing her bangs out of her face. A blonde Turk had entered the bar and had somehow managed to trip over a chair, and was now returning it to its position, brown eyes darting up to stare at him, a mixture of embarrassment and defiance in her expression.

"Who's that?" Zack asked as the girl made her way over to Tseng.

"Elena," Aerith replied. "She's new."

"I didn't know Turks ran into chairs," he said with a wry grin.

Aerith smiled lightly, shrugging again as she tried to recompose herself. The entrance of Elena had brought the tension back, and she seemed to remember where they were and what they were doing. "She's a little clumsy, but don't let that fool you. Elena trained at the Military Academy. She's trained with firearms, but her real talent lies in martial arts. She was given five Elite Emblems."

"And those are...?" Zack asked, feeling a bit lost. He'd gone to a small highschool in Nibelheim. There were no Elite Emblems there.

"They're given to students who hold the highest scores in their exams," Aerith explained. "She received the most Elite Emblems at the Military Academy. They say she's a prodigy."

Zack watched the girl, wondering how somebody could be clumsy and a prodigy at the same time. She felt him watching her, and she turned her sharp gaze on him. It was a calculating look, one he'd often received from Cissnei. Perhaps they were of the same mold after all. He grinned at her. She did not grin back.

Sometime during his impromptu dance, Cloud and Tifa had rejoined them. Cloud's hair was messier than usual, and he looked mightily pleased with himself, and Tifa was bumping hips with him mischievously. Zack wasn't sure he wanted to know what they'd gotten up to.

Now that everyone was there, it was clear there was a divide between the two groups, and he and Aerith stood in the middle of both sides, like mediators.

_Kind of symbolic, _Zack thought. He was suddenly aware that he'd spent several minutes dancing like a fool in front of these people, and now he wasn't sure where to start without sounding foolish. He glanced around nervously, his mind grasping blankly at something to say. On one side, AVALANCHE was shooting distrustful looks at the Turks; the Turks wore masks of apathy and unconcern. Next to him, Aerith didn't look anywhere as uncomfortable as he was feeling.

Zack cleared his throat, crossing his arms, then uncrossing them again nervously. "So, uh...is this everyone?" he asked, head darting between the two groups again. Aerith slipped her hand into his, and he felt his confidence bolster. "I thought there were more of you," he said pointedly to Tseng.

"There are, naturally."

"...and?"

"They're not here," Tseng replied flatly, and Reno sniggered beside him.

"Some of the other Turks are on missions," Aerith said helpfully, trying to diffuse the growing tension between the pair. "...most of them, actually," she conceded. Zack noticed how agitated this appeared to make AVALANCHE. The Turks gave nothing away, as usual.

Sensing the tension was still rising, Aerith wrung her hands, then cleared her throat.

"Perhaps some introductions are in order?"

The Turks remained silent. Rolling her eyes, Aerith sighed.

"Stubborn fools...I'll do it myself then. Tseng," she started, pointing to the man with the dark ponytail. "He's our leader. That's Reno and his partner, Rude -"

" -not life partners, mind," Reno interjected. "Strictly business," he added with a wink at Tifa. Zack watched as she grimaced at the man while Cloud glowered jealously, putting a possessive arm around her.

"-and Elena," Aerith continued as though she hadn't been interrupted. "Her older sister's a Turk, too." A disgruntled look appeared on Elena's face at Aerith's last comment. Zack got the feeling she wasn't fond of her sister. Aerith nudged him in the ribs now, looking at him expectantly.

"Er, right," he cleared his throat, too, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "I'm Zack...as some of you know," he said with a half wave to the Turks. "And that's Cloud, and Tifa, my best friends...the others are Barret, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie. I don't really know them as well..." he trailed off, faintly embarrassed. In his time staying at the bar, he'd been bed-ridden for the most part. He didn't know them very well. He got the feeling they weren't fighters so much as technical gurus.

More silence followed, and Zack thought that at any moment, the two sides would start attacking each other. Aerith broke the silence again, though, taking charge of the situation.

"We're here to discuss what we're going to do about Shinra – because Shinra is killing the planet. They're controlling people's lives with fear and power. They need to be stopped," she said passionately. "So I'm asking my friends to..._please_, put your differences aside for a while. We need each other's help to stop Shinra."

"Why do we need their help, exactly?" Elena asked, a touch of condescension in her voice.

"We need to appear that we're on Shinra's side for as long as we can, that's why," Aerith said. "AVALANCHE will do the attacking while we provide them with inside information," she said.

"They hardly look qualified enough," Tseng commented, sounding almost bored. There was a questioning look in his eyes, though, as he looked at Aerith, as if to say, _Are you sure this is a good idea?_

"Qualified enough to blow yer damn reactor outta the sky," Barret growled, taking offense.

"Crude methods that have only briefly halted Shinra," Tseng shot back.

"Well, why do we need these stinkin' Turks? I thought you were loyal to Shinra," Barret said suspiciously. Tseng inclined his head in agreement.

"It is true that we take orders from President Shinra; however, it wouldn't be the first time we've gone against Shinra for...personal reasons," he said in his quiet, calm voice, and he and Aerith shared another look, one that spoke of shared experience.

Barret grunted, unimpressed by Tseng's answer. "Don't wanna work with you lousy scumbags, anyway!"

"Hey, my girlfriend's one of those lousy scumbags," Zack interjected. "Not that you're lousy. Or a scumbag," he said quickly at her exasperated look.

She rubbed her forehead, sighing. "Look, whether you like it or not, you both need each other. Barret, forgive me for saying this, but you and your crew of four people hardly stand a chance against Shinra. You can't expect to plan some sort of assault on Shinra and hope to win. It's foolish to even consider it. We need to go into this logically."

"I agree completely, Aerith."

The room was eerily silent as Sephiroth walked into the cramped little bar, his presence making most everyone shrink back. Aerith seemed surprised to see him, too.

"How did you know where I was, Seph?" she asked him.

"Cissnei," he said simply, and Aerith frowned.

"Is she-?"

Sephiroth just shrugged, and Aerith let it drop, her shoulders sagging. "I brought someone with me," Sephiroth said, and, if possible, the room grew even more tense, to the point of volatility. Zack recognized him - Rufus Shinra, son of President Shinra. He walked in, his white suit impeccably clean, and smirk on his face and a swagger in his step.

"What a nice little hideout you have here," he said, his voice suggesting that he thought the complete opposite. "Now, I hear you're all planning to end my father."

"Seph?" Aerith asked, and Zack could discern a hint of panic in her voice. He squeezed her hand quickly, trying to provide quiet comfort.

Sephiroth glanced at Aerith with a reassuring expression that his recruitment posters never hinted at, and then addressed the room in his commanding voice. "President Shinra is a man who garners no loyalty, not even from his sons. One of them is dead, but the other is here, and he wishes to stop his father."

"Who wants their father dead?" Cloud asked aggressively. Zack almost groaned. He really hoped Cloud's mouth wouldn't get him into trouble.

Rufus Shinra regarded Cloud with pale blue eyes, before smiling, almost sinisterly. "My father has shown me very little affection growing up. He believes in power, and he has delusional ideas about a place called the Promised Land. He hopes to create a NeoMidgar there, with enough power that he could easily control all the world. I would gladly see him dead. He's more stranger than father to me, and the legacy he leaves for me is written in blood and pain. Do not mistake me for one of the 'good guys'," he said, smoothing down the front of his wrinkle-free suit. "At one time, I tried to have my father killed so I could rule. But recently...I suppose you could say I've had a change of heart. Perhaps it was the plight of the people that moved me, so intent in their belief that the reactors are sucking the Planet dry and slowly killing us all. They're right, I suppose. That's why my father must be stopped, him and his company. Getting rid of him simply won't do. Another will fill his shoes. The entire company must be obliterated."

"How can we trust you?" Barret demanded, and Zack found himself agreeing. Rufus seemed like a man who kept secrets, and he was clearly far from stupid. Mere minutes into meeting him, and he could tell that he was cunning and sly, a dangerous combination in the wrong hands.

"You can't," Rufus said simply. "Shinra is filled to the brim with poisonous snakes, each one vying for more power. I grew up in that environment, and though it pains me to say, it isn't easy to cast aside that way of life. But I also know the executives won't hesitate to stab each other in the backs, not if it means more power for them. That's where I come in," he smiled blandly.

"How exactly?" Tifa asked quietly, but still loud enough to be heard.

"We pit them against each other, of course! Raise suspicions and distract them thoroughly in their own little game." Rufus chuckled. "You remember how I said I once tried to kill my father? I funded anti-Shinra rebels to kill him in Junon. Ah, yes, I see you remember," Rufus noted calmly as Aerith let out a noise of surprise. "You saved his life, if I remember correctly? And now you're trying to end it...is that irony? In any case, I still have contacts with the rebels – I've never stopped planning to have my father killed. They're stationed all over, although many of them reside in Wutai."

"So, you're going to call all yer little friends and they'll help us take over Shinra?" Barret asked sarcastically.

"Not quite," Rufus admitted. "Your little group gave me the idea, actually. I'll fund those rebel groups again – with Shinra's money, naturally," he added with another chuckle. Zack realized he viewed it all as a game, and he was highly amused. "And then said rebels will help take Shinra down piece by piece, starting with the mako reactors."

"Of course," Aerith whispered, almost inaudibly. "Most of Shinra's power lies with its ability to control how people live. If the people willingly give up mako and the electricity it brings, that's one less thing Shinra controls. And it'll stop the pull of the Planet's life force. Two birds with one stone." Aerith was gazing at Rufus warily now, a mixture of respect and hesitation on her features.

"No," Zack said slowly. "People won't give up electricity just to stop Shinra. There are lots of people who live comfortably...we can see how the reactors are killing the planet...and well, most of us have nothing else to lose. But there are lots of families out there who feel they've got a _lot_ to lose. We need to give them an alternative."

"Coal," Barret grunted. The room turned its attention onto him. "Most places used coal before mako ever came along," he said, shrugging.

"Coal isn't nearly as efficient as mako," Tseng replied.

"It hasn't been replaced entirely. There are lots of places that don't have reactors, ya know?" Barret argued.

"And in time coal will be a used up resource," Tseng said briskly. "Why do you think Shinra started harvesting mako in the first place?"

"The reactors need to be destroyed," Rufus interrupted. "That's the only way for this to work."

"Shinra will just rebuild the damn things," Barret pointed out roughly.

"No, you forget there's a part two," Rufus said, holding up two fingers. "Part two entails killing the executives – and my father. With no one to head the company, it will crumble as surely as if we'd blown it up."

"But we still don't have an alternative energy supply," Zack said, having trouble keeping his voice down. "If we take mako away and have nothing to give to replace it, we're no better than Shinra, ruining lives!" Zack turned to Aerith, clamping his mouth shut. Her eyes were closed and her head was tilted to the side, like she was trying to listen to someone speaking quietly. It took Zack a moment to remember _she _was the one with the voice in her head now. She probably was listening to someone – the Planet.

"What if..." she started slowly, eyes blinking open. "Well...Shinra turned to mako because they thought it was a renewable resource. What if we just used actual renewable resources? Like the sun, and the wind, and water?"

"How do you store energy from the sun?" Cloud asked. Zack had an image in his head of jars filled with sunlight, and he smothered down a laugh.

"Funny you should bring that up," Rufus said. "There's one executive at Shinra by the name of Reeve Tuesti. You may have heard of him. He's in charge of urban development, and was originally involved in building the first reactors. Lately, he's been putting research into solar energy. He is, perhaps, one of the only executives at Shinra concerned with the well-being of the Planet. I don't know all the details of it, but his department has been working on photovoltaic panels meant to absorb the energy of the sun and convert it into electricity. Would this be a viable alternative?" Rufus asked, his pale eyes landing on Zack.

"Yeah, if it works, I guess," Zack said. He swung his arms, getting into the idea. "We could...replace the reactors with those photovoltage-"

"-photovoltaic," Rufus corrected.

"Yeah, those panels you were talking about! And what about the wind and the water like Aerith was saying? Couldn't we harness those the same way?"

"Wind turbines aren't anything new, and water power was used long before coal, even. Wind turbines just weren't cost effective, and watermills didn't produce enough power. But with new technology...I don't see why it couldn't work," Aerith replied, sounding excited.

"Yes, yes, this is all very exciting and such, but could we get on with it?" Rufus asked dryly.

Now Sephiroth spoke up again. "Even with the rebels in hiding, it won't be enough to take down all the mako reactors. We'll need to travel and help destroy them. Aerith was right – we need to appear as if we're still working for Shinra, and arouse no suspicions. The last reactors to go will be the ones here, in Midgar. If we blow them all, it will destroy the city and kill thousands of people. We'll need some reason to get the city to evacuate to keep the casualty count down."

"Travel? You mean we're going to destroy all the mako reactors all over the world?" This was Elena, the blonde Turk.

"Yes," Sephiroth said simply. "Fort Condor, Corel, Junon, Gongaga-"

"No. Gongaga's already destroyed, remember? It blew up in '92," Zack muttered, staring down at the ground. His jaw was working angrily. He wondered if Sephiroth had really forgotten about Gongaga, or if he'd brought it up just to try and get a rise out of him.

"Right. My apologies. There's also Nibelheim..." he paused, glancing over at Tifa and Cloud. "And finally, nine here in Midgar. Well, I suppose since one is destroyed, we're down to eight."

"Nine? There's only eight sectors, pal," Barret pointed out.

"The ninth is underground; it's used to power Shinra HQ."

"How do you propose we destroy nine – sorry, eight - mako reactors without attracting some serious attention?" Cloud asked skeptically.

"I think I have an answer for you," Rufus interrupted. "As Sephiroth pointed out, we need a reason to evacuate the city. What better reason to evacuate than an attack on the city by the remaining rebel groups in Wutai? There are many of the Crescent Unit still remaining, waiting for revenge. They're the Elite in Wutai," he added at the confused looks of many. "The Wutai will keep the military and SOLDIERs preoccupied while you all can scurry to the reactors and shut them down for good."

"Yeah, Shinra's always been real worried 'bout the people," Barret said sarcastically.

"Shinra cares a great deal about its public image, actually," Rufus said. Barret snorted in disbelief. "You may not believe me, but its true. Especially with the destruction of the Sector 1 reactor. There has been some concern of an uprising. If they assisted the rabble to safety, it would make them appear more...benevolent." Barret just rolled his eyes. Zack was somewhat inclined to be on Barret's side. From his own experience, Shinra didn't give a _damn_ about anyone but themselves. Then again, it was their own image they were protecting.

"That sounds far easier than it's going to be," Tifa said with a sigh.

"All things are easier said than done," Rufus replied sagely.

"It's something worth fighting for, though, isn't it Tifa?" Zack asked her. He wouldn't blame her if she wanted out – it was a lot to ask of her.

"Of course, Zack," she agreed. "But I'm not stupid. Some people will die in this endeavor."

"It's an unfortunate byproduct of war," Aerith whispered, a haunted expression on her face. It struck Zack that Aerith had probably killed before, many times, not to mention she'd probably lost a few friends along the way.

"Good, so we have a plan," Sephiroth announced. "We'll separate into groups. First to go will be AVALANCHE. After Rufus sends out word to his rebel groups, we're sending you to Corel. The rebels will help you into the city unnoticed. After the attack, Shinra will naturally send out enforcements to the remaining reactors. Tseng, Elena, will you consent to going to Fort Condor?"

"If you wish," Tseng agreed amicably. Elena looked thrilled at the prospect of going with Tseng.

"Excellent. Then Reno, Rude, I'll need you to go to Junon's underwater reactor. You won't have any problems, will you?"

"Nah, sounds easy," Reno answered carelessly, blowing on his fingernails with an aloof grin.

"That leaves us for Nibelheim," Aerith answered, but Sephiroth shook his head.

"I'm not going...I'm going to stay with Rufus here. Make sure our trusty financier doesn't get any rash ideas."  
"You don't trust me?" Rufus asked coolly.

"You said yourself that we couldn't," was Sephiroth's equally cool reply.

"Fair enough."

"Aerith, you and Zack can handle Nibelheim, right? Or did you want backup?" his eyes showed concern, but Aerith shook her head. "We'll be fine." Zack grinned to himself. He wondered if she had confidence in him, or if she was just confident in herself. After all, she'd had much more experience in these sorts of things than he did.

"No, wait, I'm going too!" Cloud interjected. "It's my hometown."

"I'm not staying behind either," Tifa said. "We can help."

Zack shot his friends a grateful look – not that he'd really expected them to stay behind.

"I have a question," he announced loudly, staring at Sephiroth. "The Wutai – won't they want you dead as much as Shinra? You killed many of their people, after all."

Sephiroth met Zack's eyes, staring at him seriously. "You're correct, of course. They will undoubtedly want me dead. Of that, there is little question. A better question is if they'll be able to find me at all," he said mysteriously, and Zack swore he saw a hint of a smile on his face.

"Riiiight. You're kind of creepy sometimes, you know?" Zack told the SOLDIER seriously, and Aerith covered her mouth, biting back laughter. Sephiroth just sighed, shaking his head.

"You've got your orders. Time to disperse before Shinra notices our absence."

Sephiroth, Rufus, and all the Turks except for Aerith disappeared into the night, like it had swallowed them whole. They were all playing a very dangerous game now.

* * *

It was Cloud who came to her, surprisingly. Aerith couldn't sleep, not with the worry and tension building up inside her.

"You couldn't sleep either?" Cloud asked as he took a seat next to her. "Zack's snoring kept me up," he said with a grin.

"He snores?" she asked.

"Only sometimes," he confessed. "So uh...where was your friend tonight? Cissnei."

"She...left. She told me she wanted to sleep."

"She was tired, from what I saw. She doesn't seem to like me much, either."

"Don't let her fool you. Cissnei is warmer than she lets on. In our line of business, though..." Aerith trailed off.

"Keeping your heart locked away must be the only way to deal with the horrors you see," Cloud concluded thoughtfully. There was really more to Cloud than Aerith had realized. "It seems like a lonely existence, though," he added, tilting his head, hair tumbling over his eyes messily. She smiled. Sometimes he really did look similar to Zack, although their facial structure was different. Cloud had a more boyish quality to him – his face was more rounded than Zack's, but she could see the beginnings of a strong jawline. He just needed to grow into it, she supposed.

"It is a bit lonely," Aerith agreed. "It makes me glad I met Zack, and you, and Tifa. You showed me a very different life, and I appreciate it more than you could know."

At this, Cloud seemed mildly embarrassed. She wondered if it was because he had spent so long disliking her, and now she was thanking him. Or maybe she just made him uncomfortable, no matter what she said. He shrugged, scratching his ear.

"It's warmer than I thought it would be in Midgar," he said instead. Now he was talking about the weather. He really was uncomfortable!

"The plates keep most of the heat in. Only when you leave the gates does the season really change. It still snows up above, too..." she trailed off. "You know, I've lost track of time lately. I hadn't even realized my birthday had come and gone," she laughed. "I'm eighteen now. I remember...we used to throw great parties on my birthday, back at Shinra. It's strange to think it's not really a part of my life anymore."

Cloud was silent for a long time, staring at the ground, then the plates, and mostly anywhere else but her. Finally, though, he turned his attention back to her, a strained grin on his face. "Well, I know Zack will want to throw you a party after this is all done. If we make it, that is," he amended. "I'm not sure what help Tifa and I will be to you guys in Nibelheim...we can fight, but, not like you...not even like Zack anymore, not since you taught him to wield a blade. But we'll try, okay?"

"I know, Cloud," Aerith assured him. "You and Tifa are the best guides in Nibelheim, aren't you? Who better to lead us up the mountain to shut down the reactor?"

At this, a genuine smile formed on Cloud's face. "You're not so bad, Aerith. I'm sorry if I made you think otherwise." And then he rose to his feet and went back inside, presumably to go to sleep. Aerith eventually got up, too, sleep beckoning to her. She felt a little better than before, at least. Like maybe she'd gained a friend, after she was sure she'd lost one. It didn't get rid of the pain, but it helped.

* * *

**A/N: So I had this chapter done last week, and then I had it beta'd, which set me back another week, because I spent many days agonizing over little details to make the end of this chapter better and more believable. Hopefully, I've accomplished this. Otherwise, blame it on my obsessive listening to Owl City's new CD, which makes it hard for me to write serious things because I'm too busy dancing around in my chair. Haha. However, don't blame my awesome beta, Full Mental Panic, for the lateness, because I received awesome feedback. So there. (: If you think this chapter is awesome, you can probably thank my beta for it. It also went from about 10K words to 15K...yeah.**

** Anyway, enjoy, and please leave a review. Does the premise seem believable to you? I hope so; the next few chapters kind of depend on it. The next few chapters will also be departing from our usual POV's. You'll see. (; Thanks again for reading, folks. Sorry for the long wait, but I hope that all the SOUL I've poured into this helps. Hahaha. Also, the first page of the next chapter is already written. I'm well on my way!**

**Also, I'd just like to thank everyone who wished me well. I'm doing a lot better, if you were wondering, although my hair has started to fall out from the oral chemo I have to take. Just another awesome thing that gets to happen to me. :/ Ah well. I'm not bald yet and hair loss doesn't prevent me from writing, thankfully. Until next times, folks!**


	17. Corel

**Chapter 16: Corel**

_Take me on the edge_

_I wanna be the panic in your head_

_I wanna say the words that turn you red_

_Don't wanna pretend, oh no, no_

_If I could start a war,_

_I'd wanna be the calm before your storm_

_I wanna be the one you're dying for again and again_

_**The Summer Set: Crash**_

* * *

Sephiroth could not have known that Barret had once sworn to never return to Corel.

_ Or maybe he did, stinkin' sneaky SOLDIER!_

In fact, the more Barret thought about it, the more he was convinced that the silver-haired SOLDIER had sent him to Corel on purpose. Barret knew this probably wasn't very logical, as the two had never met before, but he found the man to be irritatingly calm about everything and wanted _someone_ to blame for his current situation.

It seemed like such a long time since he had seen his hometown. Of course, it was Shinra's damn fault that he'd had to leave in the first place, so he planned on taking great pleasure in destroying the reactor there.

Despite telling himself this, he grew more anxious and quiet the closer they got to Corel. The reactor wasn't actually in Corel, of course – to be honest, Corel didn't even exist anymore, not in the sense that it was a town. Once a simple mining town, Corel was now Corel Prison, and at the foot of the mountain was the much newer North Corel. All of this was surrounded by endless desert, a natural prison all its own. The reactor sat right on Mt. Corel, sucking up the Planet's life force greedily, all without providing any real power to North Corel. From everything he already knew and what the Turks had told them before leaving, North Corel was little more than a collection of crude shacks and dwellings, a mere stepping ground for the tourists going to the Golden Saucer.

"You okay, Barret?" Biggs asked, disrupting his thoughts. "You seem kinda...quiet." Biggs appeared to be confused by this – perhaps because the word 'quiet' was never used to describe Barret.

"This damn ride is taking forever, that's all," he grumped, shooing the man away. Biggs edged away quickly – an angry Barret was never good. And Barret was angry. It was true that the trip to Corel was taking a long time – catching a train to the edges of Midgar, a ride from the Turks (secretly, of course) across the ocean, and another train to Corel. This wasn't really what was making Barret frazzled, however.

It was all the waiting, and the opportunity waiting brought to relive unwanted memories that was bothering him. He was a man of action, and all this sitting around was mind-numbing. Even though he fidgeted constantly, it did little to stop his brain from drudging up memories he'd thought long buried. He scowled against the onslaught.

_The town was peaceful then, barely a blip on the map, but it had its purpose – to mine coal for energy. Until Shinra came. How better to appeal to a town made up mostly of men than to send a female executive? She didn't climb out of the helicopter so much as slink, her movements as smooth and sensual as silk. Her voice was just as seductive, laced with hints of danger, though, and that should have been the warning sign. It wouldn't be until much later – much too late, in fact – that Barret would recognize the cruelty etched into her features. _

_ He, like many of the other miners, supported the proposal to build a mako reactor in Corel. Only his best friend Dyne disagreed with the idea. Barret didn't see the harm, though. Mako was already becoming a success in places like Midgar, and obtaining it was much safer than mining. He'd seen many a miner die when their lungs could no longer draw in fresh air, and he, for one, wanted to live a long, happy life with his wife, Myrna. Despite Dyne's objections, the project moved forward and construction began..._

"Look, the Golden Saucer! You can see it from here!" Wedge was pushed up against the window in excitement.

"I can't believe people actually cross the desert just to go to that place," Jessie said, but Barret thought he heard a bit of longing in her voice. He supposed he couldn't blame her – it was an impressive building, like mankind was challenging nature by building a tourist attraction in a place no one would ever be attracted to. If he squinted, it almost looked like a giant, golden tree. Barret sighed, rubbing his tired eyes with his hand. One day, he knew, the desert would swallow the Golden Saucer up, too. The desert devoured everything, eventually.

No, he couldn't blame Jessie for wanting to go there. A small part of him wanted to see it, too. But Barret also felt a seed of hate bubbling in his gut. That _thing_ was smack dab over the ruins of his home. If only he'd known then what he knew now.

_Things were looking up in the small town of Corel. With the mako reactor on the way, they were finally taking steps toward being as technologically advanced as some of the other cities on Gaia. One day, though, disaster destroyed __the town. The reactor exploded before it could be finished. No one in Corel could explain what had gone wrong. Barret and Dyne had rushed to the site, trying to do damage control, but the reactor was beyond saving. That wasn't the worst of it though – upon reaching Corel, Barret found his home in flames. And there __**she**__ was, with Shinra troops at her beck and call. Scarlet had called them there, to punish the town for something they'd had no control over. Barret and Dyne were spotted, and they ran, trying to escape. The troops opened fire at Scarlet's command – every word seemed more like poison and less like honey, as it had been when she'd first arrived. Barret had to watch as his friend fell off a cliff, and he dove forward, just barely catching Dyne's arm. It was then that Scarlet decided to step in personally, blowing off both his and Dyne's arms – his right, Dyne's left. And Dyne plummeted into the abyss, falling to his death. _

Barret shook his head fiercely, squeezing his eyes shut to block out the memories. He glanced down at his arm, and the gun that had been attached in its place. Sometimes, he swore he could still feel the rest of his arm, and his hand, and his fingers. He'd go to pick something up, only to knock it over with his gun. It happened less frequently than it used to as he'd become used to having one hand, but in the beginning, he'd been a mess, breaking things and losing his temper. The only thing that made him calm down was Dyne's little girl, Marlene. She'd been one of the survivors from the attack on Corel. She'd made it, thankfully, with some of the others. They had fled north, toward Mt. Corel, which later became the present day North Corel.

His wife hadn't made it. Shinra had taken his wife, his best friend, and his home. After that, Barret had decided to move to Midgar and get revenge on Shinra, starting up a new AVALANCHE, and he'd taken Marlene with him, promising Dyne's ghost he'd take care of her. Strange how he was getting revenge by returning home.

Barret knew more now, of course. The Turks had shared more than enough information about Corel before letting them leave for their mission. The information they had shared just made Barret more positive that he was right – Sephiroth and the Turks were trying to torture him somehow, by telling him these things, and sending him back home. It wasn't only Shinra's fault he'd lost his old life – it was also because of AVALANCHE, the group he'd modeled his own rebellion after. _They _were the reason the reactor had exploded. _They_ were the reason his wife was dead.

_Naw, Barret, don't think that way. They were just doin' what you are now. Saving the Planet. Stopping Shinra. They didn't set fire to Corel. It was all Shinra's damn fault. And that bitch Scarlet._

He growled low in his throat, slamming his fist down. Around him, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie looked startled. He just grunted an apology, staring at his boots. He couldn't explain this to any of them. It wasn't that he didn't trust them – it was that he couldn't talk about it. Being back had opened up all his old wounds, and they felt as fresh as they day he'd left.

The train didn't stop at the reactor, of course. Only Shinra employees had authorization to disembark there. Instead, the train puffed along the tracks, until they came to a great bridge.

"Woah!" Wedge breathed in awe. "That's some bridge!" And it was. It spanned an enormous chasm in the mountains, first dipping down, then gradually rising again as it paved the way to North Corel. Barret scratched at his beard, wishing fervently that he could have exited way back before the town. He didn't have much of a choice, either way, however. They were supposed to be meeting rebel contacts in North Corel.

The train finally came to a stop, just in front of the dinky town, it's engine still puffing whitish smoke, and the few passengers waited to be let off. Barret felt a little sick now. Maybe this was all just a nightmare, and he'd soon wake up.

_Fat chance,_ his brain taunted him viciously.

_Shut up, brain,_ he snarled internally.

He exited the train, and was dismayed by what he saw. North Corel looked worse than ever. The sign welcoming travelers was little more than a brown, dirty banner hung up haphazardly between two, dead trees. The tracks continued into the town, but were blocked by what appeared to be a rusted old truck. No grass grew in the desolate place. There was only dirt and metal and crumbling concrete. In place of houses were several tents of varying sizes, but all worn looking.

Barret stepped slowly into the place that would have been his home if he'd never left, and felt a great sadness weighing him down.

"Hey! Can't believe yer showing yer ugly face! You sure got guts!" a man shouted – a vaguely familiar face, contorted with anger and lined with fatigue.

"How dare you come back here after what you did to this town?" another cried, and Barret hung his head in shame. Even if he knew it wasn't really his fault, somehow, he felt the blame belonged to him. After all, he had never tried to stop Shinra from putting a reactor in their town...Dyne had been the only one to really stand up to Shinra. His guts twisted up with guilt as the tired townspeople shook their heads and mumbled, walking away from him and disappearing into their tents.

"What was that all about, Barret?" Jessie asked, and Barret almost started. He'd forgotten that Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie were there. He felt his cheeks warm with embarrassment and shame.

"You heard 'em, didn't ya? I ruined this town!" and then he walked away hurriedly, desperate to disappear for a while. Anything to get away from all the accusing stares. He hurried past ramshackle shops, past a faded sign that said "Golden Saucer", and to the newer train station. His friends raced after him.

"Barret!" Biggs wheezed. "Stop!"

The train wasn't there, and he had nowhere to go. He sighed, hanging his head, unable to look at his friends.

"What were they talking about?" Jessie asked, and he could hear the confusion in her voice.

"I'm sorry," he said gruffly. "My hometown used to be around here."

"Used to?" Wedge asked, panting slightly from the running he'd done.

"It got buried. Took less than four years, too."

"How come they were saying that stuff, though, Barret?" Biggs this time, and Barret turned to face them. He might as well own up.

"It's my fault. ALL my fault." He squeezed his eyes shut, unable to keep the memories from entering his mind again.

_There Corel was, small and poor, but it was home nonetheless. The men of the town were meeting, discussing the new mako reactor proposal._

_ Dyne was the only one against it. _

_ "Our coal's been protected for generations. Our fathers, and theirs before them, risked their lives for it. We have no right to throw it all away so easily!"_

_ Barret had tried to reason with his friend, explaining to him that no one used coal anymore anyway. _

_ "Right, everything is mako, now." This was Scarlet, the only woman in a room full of men. "It'll be all right, Dyne. Shinra, Inc. will guarantee your livelihood once the mako reactor is completed."_

_ Barret could see that Dyne was not to be so easily swayed by Scarlet. So he begged. "Listen, Dyne. I don't want my wife, Myrna, to suffer anymore." _

_ Dyne was frustrated. He threw his hands up in the air, shaking his head. "I know how you feel! I feel the same way too, damn it!" He hung his head, his arms hanging limply at his side. "But even so, I won't give away our coal mines!"_

_ "Dyne, you have to understand..."_

"We agreed to the proposal, see," Barret said. "We thought it would bring us an easier life. But one day, while Dyne and I were gone, Shinra troops burned Corel down. All the townspeople...all my relatives...everything..."

"What for?" Jessie exclaimed.

"There was an explosion at the reactor. Shinra blamed us...said it was done by a rebel faction," he said with a dark chuckle. This time, it really was going to be an explosion caused by a rebel group.

"Shinra!" he three friends exclaimed, and they all wore ugly looks on their faces. Barret nodded in agreement.

"Yeah...well, even more than Shinra, I couldn't forgive myself. I never should have gone along with the building of the reactor..."

"Don't blame yourself, Barret," Wedge said a bit sadly. "Shinra's fooled lots of people in the past."

Barret shook his head again, this time in disgust. "That's why I get so pissed off!" he shouted. "They took advantage of me...and cause o' them...I lost my wife, too. And my best friend, Dyne...we was close ever since we was kids."

"But we're gonna show them, Barret! Shinra will regret all the harm they've done! That's why we're here, isn't it?" Biggs asked.

Barret looked back into the three young faces of his comrades, and saw trust. Trust in him, and the belief that what they were doing was right. He would have never guessed these three would follow him so willingly.

He still remembered the day two teenage boys picked his pocket not long after he'd moved to Midgar, taking all the gil he had left. Marlene was still so small then, and he couldn't leave her to chase after the kids who'd taken his money.

Later, though, the same kids came back, wallet in hand, and all his money still inside. Their faces were contrite and covered in filth. They apologized for their deed and guiltily handed him back his wallet. They'd explained that their parents were dead, and they had no money to eat. They'd only been hungry.

Seeing the scared look in their eyes – mixed with a hint of defiance and courage – Barret had relented and taken them in, feeding them with the little gil he had. Biggs and Wedge had stuck around ever since.

Jessie had come along after, looking for a job to get her by. She'd graduated at the top of her class, but the economy was shit, and she'd been unable to get a decent job. Desperate, she'd applied for a job at the bar Barret had recently taken over. Smart and witty, she'd proven herself useful, and eventually, they'd all formed the second AVALANCHE together.

And now they were all here, finally doing some good.

Barret studied Biggs for a long moment, closed his eyes, then nodded, placing an open palm on Biggs's shoulder. "Yeah, that's what we're here for."

"Excuse me, are you going to get in the cable car, or are you just going to block the door all day?" a rude woman asked, glaring at Barret and the others.

"Sorry," Barret mumbled gruffly and shuffled out of the way. With a _hmph_ and a flip of her hair, the woman boarded the cable car that led up to the Golden Saucer, clutching her purse to her chest like she thought he might try to steal it from her.

"What a bitch," Jessie said, not bothering to keep her voice down. Barret could tell from the gasp of disbelief that the woman had heard, and he grinned.

"Right," he announced, and he would have clapped if he'd had two hands to clap together. "Where are these damn contacts hiding?"

His question was interrupted by sudden shouts of anger that grew louder as the people shouting drew closer.

"There he is!" an enraged voice cried out, and Barret found fingers pointing at him. "That's the man who shot them!"

"What?" Barret demanded, incredulous. "I ain't shot nobody!"

"Look, he's got the gun arm! He's the criminal!"

"Just wait a second!" Jessie pleaded with the growing crowd. But they refused to listen, and they were crying for his arrest.

"Barret, let's just fight them and go," Biggs whispered under his breath, drawing nearer. Barret stared at the angry mob, sweat trickling along his neck. These people were unarmed. It wouldn't be a difficult fight. But they were innocent people.

"No!" Barret hissed. "I ain't gonna shoot them. I already ruined their lives enough, damnit!"

"They're going to arrest you!" Wedge shot back. His comrades took protective stances in front of him, trying to push the crowd away.

"Jest let 'em," Barret said. "You guys, get outta here, do the job – you can get me out after this. I'm innocent, after all. They'll figure that out eventually."

Then the guards were there, pushing their way through the accusing crowd of people, and they were on Barret in seconds. He could have taken them if he'd really wanted, but it was like he'd told Biggs – he couldn't hurt these people anymore. They didn't deserve that.

"Arrest the other three!" one of the guards cried out.

"No, they didn't do nothin'!" Barret protested, trying to twist out of another guard's grasp. Then, with a violent shock surging through his body, Barret's world became dark.

* * *

The slums of Midgar were just as boring as Nibelheim. Or at least, if certainly felt that way to Zack. Barret and his gang got to go on a mission, and he was stuck behind. For reasons no one could really fathom, Barret had left Tifa in charge of the bar. Zack was unofficially Marlene's caretaker, as she rarely left him alone. As much as Zack adored Marlene, he was anxious to do something – anything – to make a difference.

"Be patient," Aerith told him.

Easy for her to say. She got to go back to work as an undercover spy! As far as they could tell, Shinra was none the wiser to their employees' new allegiances. Aerith spent most of her day at work, while Zack spent most of his day at Seventh Heaven. Even with Tifa, Cloud, and Marlene around, not to mention several visits from the odd Turk or two, Zack felt more lonely than he could ever remember being.

He chalked it up to no longer having the voice of the Planet in his head, speaking to him. Even when it hadn't been talking to him, he'd always _felt _it there, comforting him. Now his mind was ominously blank. The only time he felt a spark of the old connection was when he helped Marlene water the Lifestream flower. When he touched the velvety petals, he swore he could hear the murmur of the Planet again.

Consequently, in his loneliness, he spent a lot of time sitting next to the flower, eyes closed. All the sitting and waiting gave him plenty of time to think, though. And the more he thought, the more he realized he should be doing something – and if he couldn't fight against Shinra right away, then he'd just have to prepare himself and his friends.

With his decision in mind, the next time Zack saw Aerith, he asked her for a spare sword from Shinra, which she gladly provided, no questions asked. Zack presented Cloud with his new weapon outside the bar, fully intending on training him right away.

"Here," Zack said to Cloud, thrusting the sword to him. "Aerith got this for you."

"That's great," Cloud began slowly, fingers wrapping around the hilt. "But I have no idea how to use this."

"I'm going to teach you, dummy," Zack answered with a smirk.

"Oh," Cloud uttered, looking uncomfortable.

"What is it?"

"Just, I don't know if I can kill people. I already shot that Shinra guy, but that was to protect Tifa..."

"So is this. It's to protect yourself, too. I don't blame you, and I don't think you should have to kill anyone, Cloud. But the fact is, you're going to be attacked in this mess. I want you to be able to defend yourself, and Tifa if you have to."

Zack could almost see the wheels churning in Cloud's head. He knew his best friend was no killer; he also knew Cloud would do anything to protect Tifa. His friend chewed on his bottom lip, conflicted. Zack was relieved when Cloud finally nodded.

"To protect the people I care about...seems as good a reason as any."

"My thoughts exactly!"

Cloud gazed at his sword, then frowned suddenly. "Hey, my sword is smaller than yours!" he exclaimed with disappointment.

"Well, we already knew that, didn't we?" Zack said with a laugh.

"Oh shut up," Cloud retorted, face reddening. "You're so immature sometimes."

"Immature? My sword _is_ giant. It's just a fact," he proclaimed, waving his blade around to illustrate his point. "Unless...what did you think I was talking about?" Zack asked with an air of naivety.

"You...I know perfectly well what you were insinuating! Don't play innocent with me, Fair!"

"Ah!" Zack exclaimed, faking surprise. "You thought I was talking about _that_? You're dirty minded, Strife!"

Cloud snorted, shaking his head and grinning. "You are a piece of work, Fair," he shot back. "I bet Aerith only likes you because of that sword."

"What's that?" Aerith asked, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. "What are you two talking about, and why does it involve me?"

"Sword envy," Zack said simply. "He was just admiring how great my sword is, and well, he felt his was a little small in comparison."

"I see," Aerith said with a giggle as Cloud turned redder. "Well, it _is_ a great sword. Don't worry, Cloud. I'm sure Tifa will like your sword no matter the size," she told him with a straight face and a perfectly reassuring voice.

This was more than Cloud could handle. Ears positively burning, he shook his head. "You've been a terrible influence on her, Zack!" he gasped, then ducked his head and scurried away, sword swinging wildly in hand.

Zack could no longer hold in his laughter, and it burst out of him in great guffaws.

"I can't believe you said that!" he wheezed to Aerith. "Maybe I _have_ been a bad influence on you," he chuckled, rubbing his watery eyes.

"I can have fun, too," she laughed.

He grinned as they continued to chortle, waiting for their laughter to die away, only to have it rise up again as one of them inevitably started to laugh again.

"Ah...good times," Zack sighed.

"Sort of," Aerith agreed. "So...how's the training going?"

"We hadn't gotten to it yet. Like I said, sword envy. What about you? With work, that is."

Aerith sighed. "It's okay, I suppose."

"Heard from Cissnei, yet?" Aerith's face fell in response, and she shook her head tersely. _Nice one, Zack_. "Sorry," he apologized. She smiled wanly, shoulders lifting in a feeble shrug. "I...why do I get the feeling like it's my fault she left?"

"It's not," Aerith said, too quickly. He raised his eyebrow at her, incredulous.

She sighed, slumping forward a little. "Okay, maybe you're part of the reason."

"Hmm," was all he could manage. He felt guilty. It was apparent that his presence was causing a rift between the two. Zack felt the guilt stirring in his gut, as well as a sense of dread at what he was about to ask.

"What do you want me to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"This – whatever we've got – it's hurting your friendship with Cissnei. Your best friend. And, well, she came first. So I'll understand if you can't...be with me." He felt horribly ill at the idea of her agreeing with him, of leaving him. He wished for nothing more than to look away, but he kept his eyes locked on hers, which had widened in surprise.

"Don't be ridiculous!" she blurted. "Cissnei might be upset now, but she'll come around, just like Tseng said."

"What if she doesn't?" he asked urgently. "What if...I don't want to be the reason you aren't friends anymore!"

Aerith reached for him and grasped his hands. "You won't be the reason," she told him gently. " If she doesn't come around...well, I can't control Cissnei, and I'd really hate it if she wasn't my friend anymore." Now, she dropped his hands and lifted hers up, cupping his cheeks. The look in her eyes was so tender that Zack actually blushed, embarrassed by the naked display of emotion, and overwhelmed with how it made his own heart lurch and speed up. "But I've worked too hard to keep you around for me to leave you behind," she said with a smile.

Then, for the first time since Nibelheim – unless the shared dream counted – he kissed her soundly, her muffled noise of surprise quickly turning into a contented moan that sent goosebumps sprawling across his skin. The kiss was better than he remembered, but maybe that was because he'd been waiting so long to kiss her again. Her hands were still cupping his cheeks weakly, and she leaned against him as though she were having trouble standing. He smiled into her mouth, very much liking the idea that he could make her weak in the knees, so to speak.

"Hey!" and indignant cry rang out, and Zack pulled away with a start. There Marlene was, little fists on her hips. Zack cringed, wondering how he was going to explain to the little girl that he wasn't really her boyfriend.

"Did you water my flower, Zack?" she demanded.

"Marlene, I – uh," he faltered, caught off guard. She hadn't said what he was expecting from her. "Yes?" he answered in the form of a question.

She pouted. "I wanted to water it!"

"Sorry, Marlene," Zack said as she pulled a sad face.

Aerith brushed her hair from her face, catching her breath. She gave him a sly smile, then turned her attention to Marlene.

'You can help water my flowers, if you like."

Marlene lit up. "Can I pleeeaaase?" she begged.

"Of course, silly goose," Aerith said affectionately.

"I'll come with," Zack offered, not wanting Aerith to run off without him. She'd been so busy lately...he missed her.

"Don't you have to help Cloud?" she asked, poking him on the nose.

"Oh yeah," he sighed, knowing she was right.

"I'll see you later," she promised, leaning up to kiss his cheek, but he angled toward her to catch her lips once again.

Marlene squealed. "You two are like Cloud and Tifa!"

Aerith pulled away, laughing. "Come on Marlene, my flowers are thirsty." So saying, she took Marlene's hand and began to lead her away.

"Do you love Zack?" Marlene asked loudly.

"Of course," Aerith answered simply, stealing a glance back at him; in response, his heart started racing like a sprinter, and he swallowed heavily.

"Me too," Marlene said. "He's a good boyfriend."

Zack grinned and watched them until they disappeared, Aerith's laughter still ringing pleasantly in his ears.

* * *

_A damn taser!_ Barret thought sullenly, touching his sore neck. The idiot guard had tased him! When Barret had finally come to, he asked Wedge what had happened. Apparently, word was a man with a gun-arm had killed several people at the Golden Saucer. No one in North Corel was inclined to believe Barret wasn't the culprit. Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge were arrested as conspirators.

To say the least, Barret wasn't pleased.

After trying fruitlessly to escape, followed by a very long hour of yelling and cursing, Barret was now sitting in silence, fuming to himself.

"Damn...all Shinra's fault...god damned President's kid...ruddy townsfolk," he muttered furiously under his breath, a vein pulsing in his head.

"Good to see you haven't changed, Barret," a hauntingly familiar voice echoed around the vast prison.

Barret's jaw dropped in complete shock. He was looking at the image of his dead best friend – only he wasn't dead. Everything about him was as Barret remembered, all except for the gleaming gun attached to his arm.

"Dyne...is that really you?" he croaked hoarsely.

"In the flesh. We always did share everything, didn't we Barret?" Dyne asked, lifting his gun arm and gesturing to Barret's.

"How did you survive?" Barret asked, aghast. His mind was having difficultly grasping the sight in front of him. Part of him wondered if it was a hallucination brought on by the desert heat.

"Beats me – guess I was just too damned stubborn to go."

"Wait," Wedge interjected. "Barret was accused of shooting a bunch o' people at the Golden Saucer. Was that you?"

Dyne shrugged. "Yeah. What of it?"

"No...Dyne, why'd ya do it?" Barret asked.

"Why not?" he asked angrily. "I hate everything now, Barret. I'm stuck here with my memories and my anger, and that damned tourist attraction sits on top of the wreckage of _our home. _Tell me you're not angry, Barret. Tell me you don't think about Myrna everyday, just like I have to remember my wife and daughter being killed by those sons of bitches, and the queen bitch herself!" he spat, eyes wide with fury.

The thing was, Barret knew exactly where Dyne was coming from. He understood that anger all too well.

"Dyne," Barret said quickly, hoping to avert some of his friend's pain. "Marlene's not dead. She survived. I...I took her with me to Midgar to watch her. I thought you were dead...so I've been taking care of her."

Dyne's eye twitched. It appeared that he didn't know how to process the news.

"You never answered my question, Barret. Don't pussyfoot around!"

"Yes, I'm angry too!" Barret yelled in frustration. "But that doesn't make killing those people right, Dyne, and you know it. Or at least, you used to know it."

"I'm a changed man, Barret. I thought that was apparent." He rubbed his forehead furiously. "Why did you come back?"

"We're here to stop Shinra, that's what. Gunna teach those bastards a lesson."

"How?" Dyne demanded, clenching his hand into a fist. Barret caught a glimpse of a kind of hunger in his old best friend's eyes. The man lusted for revenge – something else Barret was familiar with. But to see his friend's face twisted up with so much hate and rage made him hesitate. Did he come off the same way? Had his soul been darkened with the same hatred until he no longer resembled the man he once was?

Dyne laughed now – not the joyful, easy laughter Barret recalled. It was a much more disturbing laugh, one that made the small hairs on his arms stand up.

"Weirdo," Wedge whispered nervously under his breath. Barret would have laughed in any other situation.

"Barret, your hypocrisy amazes me, ya know?"

"Whaddya mean?" Barret demanded quickly, eyebrows furrowing together.

"Yeah, Barret's not a hypocrite!" Jessie came to his defense, standing up. Dyne towered over her, but she didn't back down.

"Who asked you?" Dyne sneered at her.

"Leave her alone," Barret shot back, placing a hand on Jessie's shoulder to calm her down. She sat down slowly, still glaring at Dyne. "What did you mean?" Barret asked evenly.

"You sit there and judge me when..." he trailed off, shaking his head. "Nevermind."

"No, say what you wanna say!"

"I shot those people, but at least I gave them quick deaths. You? You're ensuring a very painful end for these folks. Who's the bad guy now?"

"You're wrong this time, Dyne. I'll admit – last time, you were the right one. We shouldn'ta let Shinra put the reactor here. Now they're killin' the Planet. So we're gunna take the reactor away. Jus' getting' rid of what never shoulda been here in the first place. We're saving everyone, not ruining them!"

"Still as passionate as ever," Dyne mused, smiling. He cracked his knuckles, looking thoughtful. "Alright, here's what I'll do. You fight me. If you win, I help you out. If you lose, you're stuck here unless you can find your own way out."

"How exactly are you gunna get us out of here? We were arrested for your crime," Biggs said. Barret had nearly forgotten the others were even there, as focused as he was on Dyne.

Dyne's smile widened. "I'm the warden."

* * *

"What do you mean no flourishes?" Cloud asked in disappointment, letting his sword tip drop to the ground.

Zack grinned. "Hey, Aerith's rules, not mine," Zack shrugged. "Personally, I think a little flair wouldn't hurt, you know?

"I guess she has a point, though," Cloud admitted reluctantly. "Who has the time to spin their sword in the air in a real fight? It'd probably just get them killed."

"Yeah," Zack agreed. "It would. Alright, sword up again," he said sternly. For most of the morning, he and Cloud had been working on his posture. Zack remembered how long Aerith had made him work on posture – an agonizingly long time. All he'd wanted to do was get to the fighting, and Cloud was just as impatient. His friend made a face, but complied, raising his sword again and slid into a defensive posture, the tip of his sword aligned with the top of his head, running parallel to his torso.

"Come on, Zack, I've got this. You've drilled me a hundred times already."

"I know," Zack sighed. "But it's important. Aerith only scratched the surface with me, and I'm definitely a worse teacher than her. I just want you to be prepared enough, alright? So...bear with me. Humor me."

"I'll learn best once I put it into action," Cloud insisted.

Zack bit his lip, scrunching up his face as he considered. He believed in Cloud. It was his own teaching abilities that he doubted. Cloud also didn't have the benefit of mako flushing through his system to give him extra strength and stamina. Still, there were plenty of expert swordsmen who weren't endowed with mako energy, he reasoned to himself.

Zack closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose. The only warning he had was a slight whistling in the air. Zack threw his blade up to block just in time, knowing Aerith would be scolding him for not moving out of the way instead.

"What are you doing?" Zack demanded of Cloud, who had decided to attack while Zack was thinking.

"Making a move!" Cloud declared. "The only way we'll know how good I am is if we spar! So come on!"

Zack side-stepped as Cloud lashed out again, though Zack was pleased to see he was extending his sword, and not his arms. By keeping his elbows tucked in, Cloud was ensuring that he wasn't opening himself up to an easy counter-attack. Zack swept along the ground carefully, never turning his back on Cloud.

Cloud had the advantage of a lighter sword. He wouldn't tire out as easily as Zack would with his larger sword; but Zack had the advantage of being able to block better. His ability to parry and dodge effectively while Cloud wore himself down would help Zack in this fight.

Going on the defensive allowed Zack to watch Cloud from a critical standpoint. He noted several times where Cloud's balance was less than exemplary, and a good lunge would send his friend tumbling backward into the dirt, leaving him open to attack. There were also moments where Cloud forgot himself and left his legs unguarded. If Zack had the mind to, he could slash at Cloud's legs and wait for the cuts to bleed out until Cloud could no longer fight.

"Aren't you going to fight back?" Cloud asked, his breath coming out in short pants now. He thrust his sword at Zack, who simply slipped out of it's path again, watching Cloud's eyebrows come together in frustration.

"No, I'm pretty good watching you wear yourself out," Zack chuckled. He parried another swipe, metal screeching on metal in a discordant shriek. Cloud's arms sagged momentarily, and Zack made his move. He lunged forward, snagging Cloud's wrist and pulling down sharply. His friend came stumbling forward, his balance off from his poor posture, and he nearly fell to the ground. Cloud let go of his sword as his hands and arms splayed out, ready to catch himself. Zack released his wrist and caught Cloud's shirt, clutching a fistful of it and pulling him up. Cloud squirmed, grimacing.

"What's the deal?" Cloud asked, but he was unable to attack, as his sword was lying in the dirt. "That wasn't fair!"

"This isn't about fair, Cloud," Zack said softly, releasing his friend's shirt. "It's about surviving. If I'd been the enemy, you'd be dead on the ground. You wore yourself out attacking me, and you got sloppy. And you need to work on your defensive posture. If you'd been properly balanced, you wouldn't have fallen," he said with a wry grin.

"Alright, alright. I get it," Cloud grouched, but then his expression shifted, and he appeared momentarily diffident. "Sorry for attacking you. You were right. I need more practice with the basics first."

Zack shrugged. "It's okay, Cloud. I understand where you're coming from. Do you know how many times Aerith handed my butt to me?" he asked with a laugh. This seemed to cheer Cloud up slightly, who grinned back.

"How is it that both the girls in our lives can kick our butts?" he asked.

"It must be something in the water."

"Or maybe we're just better than you," Tifa crowed as she walked toward them, a grin on her face.

"I'd argue with you on that, but you'd probably just beat me up since you're so violent," Zack said.

Tifa came up next to him and punched his arm playfully. Zack grimaced and grabbed his arm.

"See Cloud? You have a violent girlfriend."  
"I know," Cloud said simply. This earned him a punch, too.

"What are you two up to anyway?" Tifa demanded, waving her fist at them in a falsely threatening manner.

"Playing with swords. Can't you tell?" Zack chuckled. "I'm teaching Cloud the fine art of swordplay."

"You're going to get yourself or him killed," Tifa shot back, shaking her head. "So you're teaching Cloud how to defend himself, but what about me?"

"You already have your martial arts, don't you?" Zack shrugged. "Besides, Cloud can protect you after this."

Tifa rolled her eyes. "Thanks, but I can take care of myself, Zack. Anyway, if you two are training, I should be training, too."

"But we don't know martial arts, Tifa," Cloud said.

"Right. And I need a sparring partner," she said slowly, a gleam in her eyes. Cloud tilted his head to the side, at a loss momentarily. Tifa raised her eyebrows at him, and then he frowned, shaking his head quickly.

"No way! Not with that guy!"

"Rude offered, didn't he? Besides, he's on our side now -"

"- yeah, well, I already know he wants to be on _your _side," Cloud muttered mutinously. Tifa just clucked her tongue at him.

"We're going to be sparring, Cloud, not going out for dinner and a movie," she scolded. "I need to train, too. This is important," she pressed. "And I'm not asking for your permission," she said with finality. "I just wanted to let you know." Her tone brooked no argument, and Cloud stared at the ground unhappily. Tifa walked up to him, taking his face in her hands and she stared at him seriously.

"You're such a jealous boy," she said, shaking her head. "I love you," she promised, and Zack scratched the back of his head, feeling like he was intruding on a private moment now.

"I know," Cloud mumbled, shrugging. "I can't help it, I guess."

"What am I going to do with you?" Tifa asked affectionately. Cloud grinned in response.

"I dunno...but, do what you have to," he conceded.

"Thank you – even though I wasn't asking," she told him again, but she sounded less angry this time. She kissed him soundly on the mouth, and Zack looked away, missing Aerith very much.

"Besides," Tifa said, slightly breathless, as she finally pulled away. "If you're going to be jealous of anyone, you should worry about Zack. He does have a bigger sword than you after all." Tifa was laughing by the end of her statement, unable to keep a straight face.

"Tifa!" Cloud shouted, grabbing her before she could scamper away, and began tickling her sides. She shrieked and writhed, sinking to the ground as she tried weakly to escape.

"C-cloud! I'm – ahahahaha – I'm sorry!" she panted, his fingers relentless at her sides.

"You should be," he said, a devious smirk on his face. He shot Zack a dirty look. "What'd you go and tell her about that for?" he asked in exasperation.

"I didn't," Zack laughed. "Must've been Aerith."

Tifa nodded her confirmation from the ground, trying to catch her breath.

"Like I said, you've been a bad influence on her," Cloud sighed, then helped Tifa up to her feet again. "Let me know when you're going to spar. I'd like to watch."

"You mean you'd like to keep an eye on Rude and make sure he doesn't do anything," Tifa retorted.

Cloud merely shrugged again, trying and failing to look innocent at her correct assumption.

"Hey, that means Aerith's back from the church," Zack said brightly.

"Yes," Tifa said, amused.

"Err, right, training's over for now, Cloud!" Zack said in a rush, strapping his sword back onto his back.

"What, that's it?" Cloud asked in confusion.

Zack shrugged. "Yeah, you still have to practice your positions, and I want to go see _my_ girlfriend." Cloud mimicked Zack, his shoulders shifting upward.

"Guess it's just you and me, Tifa."

"No, I'm going to go spar, remember? I think I saw Rude skulking around the bar earlier," she said thoughtfully. Cloud's face fell, but he tried to hide it.

Zack was eager to get going, though, and wasn't all that interested in sticking around to watch Cloud pout more. "Have fun you two," he said quickly.

"We'll train some more later, right Zack?" Cloud yelled after him.

"Yup, no problem buddy!" Zack called back distractedly, his mind already focused on the prospect of seeing Aerith. He wasn't sure why he was so excited to see her again – after all, it hadn't been that long since she'd left – but he had this overwhelming desire just to see her face again. The longer she spent away from him, the more urgent this need became. It was similar to how he'd first felt seeing her in Nibelheim, but it was less about the excitement of something new, and more about the relief of coming back to something comfortable and familiar. He couldn't say he knew everything about Aerith – hardly, in fact – but there was an unspoken bond between them since their return from the Lifestream. Maybe it was because they'd both had the Planet inside their heads, or maybe it was because in the Lifestream, things felt so much less...solid. Perhaps confining was the word he was looking for. Even though he'd still felt like himself there, he could also _feel _Aerith, her consciousness brushing against his, her...soul merging with his before slipping away again.

He felt embarrassed thinking about it. He'd never been one to imagine soul mates of any kind – with the exception of Cloud and Tifa, perhaps – but he couldn't fathom anyone ever knowing him inside and out quite the way Aerith did. There was just no possible way, unless he started taking frequent trips to the Lifestream with other girls.

Not that he had any inclination to.

More importantly, the loneliness he'd been feeling of late seemed to drown in the presence of Aerith. Being near her made him feel more alive. The small ball of materia he now kept on him at all times would grow warm and glow with soft light as she drew nearer to him, and he didn't know if was a byproduct of her magic, or if it was coming from him somehow, reacting to the way he felt seeing her.

Because, if he had to admit it, he was in love with her, in an almost sickeningly hopeless way. He just didn't know how to tell her.

Much to his dismay, Aerith wasn't in sight when he stepped into the bar. Marlene was sitting next to Rude, chatting animatedly about his alarming lack of hair.

"Where's Aerith?" Zack asked, wondering why Marlene was alone with the Turk. Unless she'd just stepped out of the room...he looked around hopefully, waiting for her to reappear.

"Work," Rude answered shortly. Zack's face fell, and he scratched his head glumly.

"Oh. Tifa's looking for you," he muttered, throwing himself into an empty seat. Marlene beamed at him and continued to babble on.

"See mister? Zack's got lots of hair and its really soft. Your head's all shiny and it prolly gets really sweaty. Do you ever get sunburned? I got sunburned once, and it really itched after and the skin started to peel off. It was gross!"

Rude looked utterly bemused. He turned his attention to Zack. "Tifa?" he asked, and Zack thought the Turk sounded hopeful.

"Yes. She's with _Cloud_." he said, placing extra emphasis on his friend's name. "Her _boyfriend_. She wants to have fisticuffs at dawn with you."

"Pardon?"

"You know, knock you around a bit," Zack provided helpfully, even including a visual by jabbing his fists in the air.

The Turk still looked confused.

"Thought you were supposed to be intelligent," Zack mumbled. "She's wants to spar, fight, duel, kick you and probably punch you in the face. Think you're up to it?"

"Ah," Rude said, finally catching on. "And just because Aerith puts up with your antics doesn't mean I will," the man said, towering over him as he stood up.

Zack faked a yawn, rolling his eyes. "Right. Off you go," he said, waving the Turk away. Normally, he wouldn't have been so rude to Rude, (he chuckled at his own word choice) but he was feeling unreasonably bitter that Aerith had run off again. Besides, the man had to have boundaries. Tifa was off limits. Not that Tifa would ever run off with the Turk, but Zack felt it was his responsibility to ward off the man if Cloud wasn't allowed to. It was the least he could do as a best friend.

Rude cracked his knuckles as a warning – or maybe he'd just developed a really bad habit of doing it – and strode out of the bar.

"That man's not very nice," Marlene sighed. "He barely talked at all!"

"I know, kiddo," Zack sighed, scooping her up and setting her on his lap. "So tell me all about watering the flowers," he said. Marlene didn't need anymore encouragement and took off into a long-winded story while Zack half listened, half brooded.

_Stupid Shinra_, he thought.

* * *

"Barret, you don't have to do this," Biggs muttered as Barret slowly removed the gun from his arm. That was the first rule they'd laid down. No guns, just fists. Or fist, in both their cases.

"Yeah, how do you think we're gunna get outta this dump, then?" Barret grunted. He wasn't looking forward to fighting his old friend, but he didn't see any other way out of the mess they'd gotten into.

"Well," Biggs shrugged, searching for an answer. Barret shook his head, thrusting his gun attachment into Biggs' hands.

"Don't worry 'bout me," he said. "We gotta job to do, and I'm not gunna let us fail, even if I do have to fight Dyne." He cracked his neck and stretched out, breathing in deeply, trying to loosen up and settle his nerves. The sun beating down on them mercilessly didn't do much to help.

Across from him, Dyne had removed his own gun as well, and was grinning. "High five, Barret?" he asked, and for a moment, Barret saw a glimpse of the old Dyne. Then his smile disappeared as quick as it'd come, and he was scowling at the empty space where his hand used to be. He scratched at his nose with his one hand, then spit into the dirt and sand.

Dyne was taller than Barret, but slimmer and not as broad in the shoulders. What he lacked in muscle, he made up for in confidence. Or just complete craziness. Barret was having a hard time discerning the two. A hot, dry wind blew through, doing little to cool Barret off.

Dyne's hand twitched as he squinted at Barret.

"You ready?" he called, and Barret nodded tersely. Dyne didn't waste any time, lunging forward and knocking Barret to the ground. Barret grunted in surprise, then shoved Dyne off of him, rolling over and rising back up. He was ready the second time Dyne barreled at him, catching him firmly around the middle and throwing him down onto the ground. Dyne just laughed, wheezing, rising to his feet again. Instead of charging, he threw a punch that Barret narrowly missed. In return, Barret thrust his own fist into Dyne's stomach. His friend gasped as the wind rushed out of him, but he flailed and managed to cuff Barret on the head with his arm.

Ignoring how his vision blurred, he jabbed his fist into Dyne's stomach again, the force lifting Dyne off his feet. Dyne laughed again, coughing up a bit of blood.

"Very good, Barret," Dyne gasped out.

Barret stood back, allowing Dyne to clumsily right himself. Without warning, Dyne's fist met Barret's face, and hot blood poured from his nose, spraying out and onto Dyne's hand.

"Shit!" Barret cursed, anger growing. He grabbed Dyne around the neck and pulled furiously so that Dyne fell to the ground again. One foot on Dyne's chest, Barret held him down as he struggled to rise again, beating on Barret's leg with his arm and fist. With an wild snarl, Dyne bucked upward, throwing Barret off balance. Dyne used the opportunity to lunge again, catching Barret around the knees, sending them both tumbling down.

It was a cacophony of grunts and swear words as the two rolled in the sand until they were both a mess of blood and sweat and dirt. They both panted in the heat, and Barret wiped at his bloody face with his hand, chest heaving. Dyne didn't look much better off, and the wild look in his eye was gone, replaced with a wary caution.

Then, surprisingly, he smiled wide and spread out his hands. "Alright, you win."

"Eh?" Barret grunted unintelligibly, suspicious.

"You've proven yourself, Barret. You must truly believe in your cause. So I'm going to get you out of here."

Barret slowly rose from his kneeling position on the ground, then lowered his hand to help Dyne up. Dyne accepted, and Barret pulled him to his feet, where he swayed momentarily, then grinned through a mouthful of blood. He spat on the ground, then brushed the dirt off his shirt.

"We'll get cleaned up a bit, then have a chat about what you're plannin'," he said, and acting as though they hadn't just pummeled the shit out of each other, slung his around around Barret's shoulders and began to lead him away. Barret beckoned for the others to follow, who looked just as bewildered by the sudden change of events as he felt.

After they'd cleaned up in Dyne's small bathroom, they all crowded in his tiny living space, sitting precariously on furniture that had seen its better days. Barret reattached his gun onto his arm while Dyne inspected his torso. There were already several nasty looking bruises. Barret shifted and winced – he could feel quite a few of his own coming in as well. He'd be sore for a few days, that was for sure.

"We're supposed to be meeting Wutai rebels," Jessie stated.

"Ain't no Wutai rebels in Corel," Dyne shrugged, pulling on a relatively clean shirt. "Shouldn't you be looking in Wutai?"

"We had...information that they would be meeting us here."

"Well, they were wrong or they were liars. No Wutai rebels here," he repeated.

Barret growled in frustration. "Who gives a damn! Don't need help from them anyway. We got into town damned fine on our own, and we can get to the reactor without their help!"

Dyne grinned. "How you gonna do that? Just gonna walk right up to them Shinra guards and ask all polite to blow up their reactor? Don't think they'll like that much."

"'Course not, I ain't stupid." Then he fell silent as he pondered exactly how he was going to get into the heavily guarded reactor. After long moments of silence, Dyne finally spoke up.

"I'll help you out here," he said. "Even places like mako reactors have menial duties that need done. Goes against Shinra policy, but the guards there get the prisoners to do the dirty work lots of the time. So all we gotta do is pretend you're all prisoners, and I'll lead you into the place, no fuss."

"And the guards just let you do whatever you want?" Jessie asked skeptically.

"Nah, usually one or two o' them keep an eye on us, but it's boring work. Eventually they leave us to change up the guard. That's when you can slip away and do your thing."

"Yeah, you know, I'd prefer not getting shot at right away, Barret," Wedge said.

"It makes setting up bombs slightly easier," Biggs agreed.

Jessie opened her mouth to add her own input, but Barret held up his hand. "Awright, I got it. It sounds too easy," he muttered darkly.

"Well, getting in is easy. The hard part is getting out after you've set up a bomb," Dyne said with bark-like laughter.

Barret grunted. "Well, things get too damn boring if it's easy."

"...I like easy," Wedge sighed softly, but Barret ignored him.

"So, you're in, Dyne?" Barret asked, and Dyne's expression darkened.

"Oh, I'm in. Payback's long past due."

* * *

"Zack said you were looking for me?"

Rude's deep, quiet voice startled her, and Tifa swung around, her long hair slapping Cloud in the face, causing him to splutter and choke.

"Tifa, I just got your hair in my mouth," he said as he made a face. She ignored him, staring up at Rude.

"Uh, right," she replied. "I was just wondering if you'd still like to spar with me."

Rude shrugged, but she took it as a yes on his part. She'd forgotten how tall he was, and her stomach fluttered with nerves. It'd been a while since she'd sparred with anyone.

"Would you like to spar now?" she asked, smothering her nerves.

"If you'd like," he said, his features inscrutable. His sunglasses only added to his enigmatic appearance; she couldn't read his eyes. It would only prove to make their spar more difficult, but she was up for a challenge.

He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out his leather gloves, tugging them onto his hands. He rolled his shoulders and neck, beginning to warm up before he could stretch.

Cloud came up behind her, placing a warm hand on her shoulder. "He seems bigger than I remember."

"I'll be fine," Tifa reassured him.

"I know," Cloud said, squeezing her shoulder. "He's got nothing on you."

Tifa allowed herself a small smile. "Thanks, Cloud, but I don't need a pep talk. I need to warm up and stretch," she told him kindly, and he let go and backed away.

"I'll just be watching from over here, kay?" he said. She nodded briefly, beginning her own warm up. Breathing evenly, she flexed her fingers and knuckles, then her wrists, followed by her elbows. Then, mimicking Rude's previous movements, she rolled her shoulders, clockwise and counter-clockwise until they moved smoothly and with ease. She continued moving her joints, from her waist down to her toes, wriggling them inside her boots. Tifa followed this up with a quick stretch, knowing Master Zangan would have verbally scolded her for not doing a better warm-up, but she didn't want to inconvenience the Turk more by making him wait on her. She was also factoring in that she was feeling self-conscious, because although she couldn't see his eyes, she was _sure_ Rude was staring at her while she stretched.

She cleared her throat to indicate she was ready, and he inclined his head. That was her only warning. He came at her with more speed that she would have guessed capable from him, his right fist swinging around in a hook punch. Her reply was to punch straight into his chest, which reached him before his fist could touch her. He staggered under the blow, surprise evident on his face. He massaged his chest briefly, his eyebrows raised appraisingly before he came at her again, fists swinging.

Tifa kept her body relaxed, knowing that if she tensed up, her reaction time would suffer. She kept her elbows about a fists distance from her torso, staying in her center line. That was the whole key to success here. Whereas Rude's energy would come from brute force, hers would project from her elbow forward, straight through her relaxed forearm and hand.

His second attack neared her and she redirected it, brushing his hand aside with her arm and countering. He blocked, but she didn't give him a chance to slow down. With the hand that had previously blocked, she threw another straight punch toward his chest. Rude fumbled to try and block her attack, but failed, earning himself another explosive thump. He tried to step away so he could fight back, as his longer arms were making it difficult to fight at such a close range, but Tifa kept up with him.

He tried for another hook punch, this time from the left side. With an open palm, she placed her left hand on his arm and stepped into him, collapsing her right elbow and jabbing it up into his chin. He staggered back again, and she stepped forward, trapping his left arm with her right while she punched with her left, fluidly switching arms while keeping his arm trapped, punching again, straight into his chest. He attempted a counter with his right arm, but she merely trapped that arm instead, another punch shooting straight into him. He was thrown off, and she pressed her advantage, her fists meeting flesh in quick succession until he fell back onto the ground.

He held up a hand, and she ceased, stepping back from him, cheeks flush with the excitement of victory.

"I underestimated you," Rude said quietly, one hand holding his chest.

She grinned, shrugging modestly. "I had a wonderful teacher," she said, thinking fondly of Master Zangan.

"What fighting style is that?" he asked curiously, wincing as he prodded his tender muscles.

"Wing Chun. Specifically made for smaller people like me to stand a chance in a fight against giants like you," she said with a laugh.

He chuckled lowly, brushing dirt off his suit. "Well, I'm certainly glad we're on the same side then," he said, and his cheeks seemed to darken. Tifa coughed, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. Thankfully, Cloud came over to save the day.

"I don't think I tell you enough, but you're amazing," he said, wrapping his arms around her in a hug. She could tell Rude was watching them through his dark sunglasses, and he tipped his head again.

"I think I'll go take a potion. I may not be able to move otherwise," he said wryly. "I'd offer you one, but...I didn't manage to hit you," he said with a strained smile and a shrug, and he turned away and walked off.

"Oh – uh...thanks for the spar, Rude!" Tifa called after him, but he didn't stop. "You know, I don't know that he tried very hard," Tifa said with a sigh.

"What do you mean? You totally kicked his ass!" Cloud crowed, grinning.

"Yeah – he's a Turk though. They don't let just anybody in," she pointed out. "I feel like he didn't try...it was too easy."

"Well..." Cloud shrugged. "Maybe he didn't want to hit you cause he's got a crush on you."

"What? That's ridiculous," Tifa said, her cheeks burning. "He does not have a crush on me."

Cloud rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Tifa. You're beautiful, confident, and strong, and he has the hots for you," he said, frowning slightly. "Then again, what man wouldn't?"

Tifa's blush deepened. "You're just flattering me."

"It's the truth," Cloud said seriously. He placed a hand on the side of her neck, his thumb brushing against her jaw. "And I'm the luckiest guy in the world that you put up with me."

"When did you get to be such a smooth talker?" she smiled, leaning in to brush noses with him. He smiled and shrugged.

"You know what else?"

"Hmm?"

"Watching you fight was incredibly sexy," he said, his voice husky, his cheeks darkening at his boldness.

"Oh yeah?" she asked in amusement, threading her fingers through his hair. He nodded, his eyes hazy with desire. His hands had dropped down to rest on her waist, and he leaned his forehead against hers, swaying from side to side with her. She bit her lip, eyes locked on his, wondering just how he always managed to make her feel so light-headed and dizzy. Even at his goofiest moments, he always had a way of making her breath hitch in her throat and of making her heart trip.

"This doesn't look anything like sparring."

"Tifa already kicked his butt," Cloud responded to Zack, his eyes never leaving Tifa's. "I thought you were going to find Aerith?"

"She's gone," Zack said, and Tifa turned to look at him. He was looking wistfully at them, and he appeared more glum than usual. He tilted his head, arms crossed over his chest, and his face twitched into a half smile. "Don't ever change, guys," he said.

"Even to grow up?" Tifa asked him, her hands still resting on Cloud's neck. Zack shook his head.

"No. I always want to see you two so in love you make the rest of the world sick," he said with a laugh. There was a sudden giggle from Zack's leg, and then Marlene's head appeared as she peered from behind him.

"They are _always_ kissing!" she giggled.

"We weren't kissing this time!" Cloud defended.

"You was about to!" Marlene said in a singsong voice.

"Well, let's leave them to it, then," Zack said, grabbing Marlene's hand.

"You never give me kisses, Zack. Aren't you uhposed to?"

"Know what?" Zack said slowly. "You're right..." and then he swept her up into his arms and planted several sloppy kisses on her little face. She squealed and squirmed, laughing the whole time he carried her back to the bar.

Tifa turned her eyes back to Cloud, who was grinning at her. "How about I give you a massage?" he asked.

"Ooh, really?" she asked, relishing the thought.

"Yeah, only if you massage me after. Zack's training is brutal," he said, making a face as he reached up to rub his sore shoulder.

"You've got yourself a deal, mister!"

* * *

The sun was already sinking down when they got on the train for the second time that day, this time accompanied by several prisoners. Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge were sitting away from the convicts, who, to be frank, weren't the best smelling people Barret had ever come across, so he couldn't blame his friends. Jessie had the unarmed bomb in a trash bag – Dyne had assured them that the guards wouldn't bother to check it.

Barret sat off to the side with Dyne, wanting both to catch up with his old friend and to keep an eye on him. It was unfortunate, but Barret wasn't certain that he could trust Dyne. He seemed...less than stable. Dyne was busy avoiding his gaze and biting at his fingernails.

"Dyne...what happened?" Barret asked, his voice low. Dyne's eyes darted over to him, then away just as quickly.

"You know what happened Barret. _Shinra_ happened. They took everything from me. Do you really blame me for being angry?"

"Naw, 'course not, Dyne. I know how you feel. But you ain't lost everything, ya know? After this, you could come back. You still got Marlene."

Dyne looked down at his hand and his gun, shaking his head. "No. Marlene...she probably don't even remember me. Am I supposed to jest sweep in and say, 'Hey Marls, it's yer real dad! Come gimme a hug!'?" He shook his head again. "No. You're her dad, now, Barret. And..." he hesitated, then his eyes swept up to face Barret. "That's okay with me. If anyone was gunna raise my kid, I'd want it to be you. Besides...I've got too much blood on my hands now...well, figuratively speaking," he said, waving his gun feebly.

"Dyne..." Barret began sadly.

"Speakin' o' Marlene, why're you here and not with her?"

"I've left her with good people, don't go worryin'" Barret shot back defensively. "An' I told you already...I gotta do this. Maybe this'll finally...maybe I can finally make things right, ya know?"

"Yeah...maybe," Dyne said wistfully, then looked out the train window. "Gettin' closer. Should be just a couple more minutes till we get there. Nervous?" he asked with a lopsided grin.

Barret could see Dyne was changing the subject, so he didn't push the matter anymore. "No. Maybe. I dunno."

"Like I said, getting' in is easy. We come here lots of times to do their dirty work."

"What is that work, exactly? You didn't tell us."

"You'll see," Dyne said with a chuckle.

The prisoners took out Shinra's trash. Literally. Bags and bags of it, ranging from rotting food to malfunctioning equipment to spare parts. The prisoners all had their own bags, too, along with trash pickers. Jessie's trash bag blended right in.

"They got you takin' out the trash?" Barret grunted, but quietly. There were two or three Shinra guards patrolling through the prisoners, jabbing said prisoners in the ribs whenever they deemed it necessary. Like, for instance, if someone spoke up.

"Why do it themselves when they can get lowlifes to do it?" Dyne uttered back, then for effect, kicked Barret in the ass. "Get to work, ya lazy bastard!" he shouted, glaring.

As the warden, Dyne had a strange relationship with the Shinra guards. He wasn't one of them, but he wasn't a prisoner either. He provided a service for them, taking care of a job they'd rather not do. So while they weren't chummy with Dyne, per se, they expected him to be on their side, more or less. So Barret, consequently, couldn't be very friendly with Dyne, or else look suspicious.

That didn't mean he appreciated the foot to his behind.

"Hey boys," Dyne said to the guards, giving them a charming grin. "You look like you've been workin' hard all day. Why don't you take a break?" he asked them.

"We have to keep an eye on the prisoners," a younger fella said, indicating to all the people hauling trash.

"I'll keep an eye on them, don't you worry!" Dyne assured him. "I'm not exactly unarmed, you see?" he said, lifting up his gun-arm.

"Yeah, but-"

"Now, now, I understand, you're trying to do your job, but do you fine gentlemen really wanna stick around watching us move trash around? It's boring work, and even more boring to watch. Trust me," he said, showing all of his teeth as he smiled again. "If I can keep 'em in line on the train, I can keep 'em in line here. So you fellas go take a well deserved break. As long as you like."

The three guards looked at each other uncertainly. They had to agree, the warden had a point. Watching prisoners haul trash _was_ boring, to the point of making them sleepy, not to mention the garbage stank terribly.

"Yeah, you're right," another guard said, his voice deeper. Barret got the impression he wasn't the brightest of the bunch. "We got more important stuff to do."

"Of course," Dyne agreed sycophantically. "Off you go, boys, I've got everything under control here." The three guards turned their backs on him and Dyne's friendly expression slipped away into an ugly look of disgust and hatred. Barret thought for a moment that Dyne was going to shoot them in the back, but he didn't merely shaking his head instead.

"Lazy guards. Alright, men," he grunted and the prisoners stopped what they were doing, pulling oddly put together guns out from hidden places. Barret looked at Dyne in askance.

"You wouldn't believe the things Shinra throws away. Perfectly salvageable weapons! S'pose they didn't pass Shinra standards, though," he said disdainfully. "Work fine in a hitch, though." He tossed guns to Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge.

"Thanks," Wedge said, cradling the gun awkwardly.

"Time's running out. You know where you're goin'?"

"Layouts are all the same in these things," Barret grunted. "We'll find our way."

Dyne nodded. What else was there to say? Barret beckoned his crew and they skirted around piles of trash, heading the opposite direction of the soldiers who'd just left. The actual reactor would be further down in the facility.

It was slow going, though. There were several other soldiers patrolling, and they had to hide themselves in the shadows, hugging dirty walls and ducking behind hot, loud machines to avoid detection. It was easier when they left the main floor, climbing down neglected looking ladders to descend into the belly of the reactor.

By the time they reached the reactor, Barret's forehead was slick with sweat, the heat having risen to stifling temperatures. Without a word, Jessie set to work, setting her borrowed gun on the ground, pulling an assortment of screwdrivers and wires out from her pockets, and carefully removing the cinder block-sized bomb from the trash bag. She pushed her bangs back and readjusted her headband, then set to work. Barret, Biggs, and Wedge all paced nervously, eyes wide open and ears straining for any sign of guards. But none came.

_Dyne's right. They're lazy._

It was going to be their downfall.

"Let's go!" Jessie called urgently, stuffing her screwdrivers back into her many pockets. "10 minutes, let's go!"

This was the hard part. They couldn't set the bomb to go off too late, in case someone found it. Too early, and they wouldn't make it. They wouldn't be able to get the train to leave fast enough, either. They'd have to leg it, running across the old train tracks to make their escape. The time for discretion was gone, too. There would be no slinking back on this trip.

They ran, climbing ladders with intense urgency. Barret slipped a few times, only able to grip with one hand. His arms and legs were going to bruised from the numerous times he'd caught himself going down, but he didn't have time to complain now.

"Hey, you! What are you doing here?" a surprised shout rang out, but Wedge silenced him with a lucky shot. His yell turned into a gurgled exclamation as he dropped to the ground. Other guards came running, and the alarm blared out, echoing as the sound bounced off the metal walls.

Aware that every second that ticked by was another second off their chances of survival, they hauled ass, returning fire sloppily over their shoulder, with little hope of actually hitting anyone. They rounded the corner, retracing their steps back to where Dyne and the other prisoners were, leaping over piles of trash bags and rolling into the ground, ducking behind another, larger pile.

"Brought the party with you, did ya?" Dyne asked, and he fired without hesitation at the following soldiers, hitting them with deadly accuracy. Barret shot at them too, knowing their time was running short, but also aware that they'd never make it out alive if they were shot in the backs. His blood rushed with the thrill of adrenaline.

Next to him, Wedge cried out and dropped his weapon, hand flying up to his chest.

"I...I..." Wedge blinked in surprise, the red slipping from in between his fingers, spilling hotly onto his chest.

"Wedge!" Biggs shouted, firing back with an angry cry. Two more soldiers fell under Biggs' wild shooting. "Wedge," Biggs said again, coming to his friend's side, one hand holding up his gun, the other coming to rest over Wedge's wound. "You're gonna be alright, buddy!"

Wedge opened his mouth to speak, and Barret saw his teeth were stained crimson. "Biggs," Wedge said weakly, almost inaudible over the sound of gun fire and shouting, and blood bubbled in the corners of his mouth.

"Five minutes, Barret!" Jessie yelled, her eyes darting down to Wedge, her face falling. "No!"

"You gotta go!" Dyne roared, bullets spraying from his gun arm. "Get outta here! I'll hold them off!"

"We can't leave without Wedge!" Biggs protested, his eyes red with tears.

"He's dead or as good as!" Dyne said harshly, his face twisted up with rage. "NOW GIT THE FUCK OUT!"

Jessie pulled ineffectually at Biggs' arm, who let out a strangled sound between a sob and a scream.

"We gotta go, Biggs," Jessie said, pulling again. "Come on!" Wedge wasn't moving anymore. His eyes were staring blankly at the ceiling, blood pooling on his chest.

"Dyne, come with us!" Barret yelled over the ever-blaring alarm, and Dyne shook his head, a feral grin on his face.

"Gotta keep 'em off your back, Barret! Take care o' Marlene for me, won't you?" Then he yanked a chain from his neck and shoved it into Barret's hand. "Give this to Marlene. It was her mother's!"

"No! Come on!"

"Go or I'll shoot you myself!" Dyne said, spit spraying from his lips. His face with lit up with desperation and anger, and at the same time, he looked exultant, like he couldn't imagine going down any other way, and he was thrilled with it.

Barret hesitated, then grabbed Biggs's arm. "Let's go!" he said, and he tugged his sobbing friend away from their dead friend. It was wrong to leave Wedge there, his body lying next to piles of trash, but they didn't have the time to carry his body away and make it out alive.

Dyne was as good as his word, shooting down guards while several prisoners lay on the ground, already dead or dying. Dyne was the only man left standing, a mad-man, impervious to the sting of bullets that clipped him. And Barret ran, Dyne's words ringing in his ears.

_Take care o' Marlene for me, won't you?_

Dyne knew just as well as Barret that he wasn't going to make it out alive. The knot in his chest made it hard for Barret to breathe as he ran, but he kept on going, boots pounding against the wooden train tracks, Biggs running halfheartedly behind him, Jessie bringing up the rear to make sure Biggs didn't try to turn around and go back.

They were a quarter way down the tracks when Jessie wheezed, "30 seconds!" and even though Barret knew they should get further away, he stopped and turned, his arm still grasping Biggs's arm, who was limp with grief and exhaustion.

_10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1._

Jessie's bomb made an impressive explosion, that much Barret could say when he thought back on it later. But as he watched the flames mushroom up into the clouds, lighting the sky with it's briliance, felt the heat across his body, smoke stinging his eyes, all he could think of was Wedge, lying dead, and Dyne being incinerated, their bodies consumed by hungry flames and erased from existence. Metal shrieked in protest as the top half of the reactor ripped away from the bottom, then plummeted down into the canyon, crashing into the rocky cliff walls all the way down. Most of the train track near the reactor was demolished or smoldering. They couldn't stay long.

Jessie sank down to her knees and began to cry into her hands. Biggs was no better, still crying out for his best friend. Barret's jaw twitched, but he didn't cry. The grief welled up inside him, but it was numbing, too. He couldn't feel anything.

Dyne was dead for sure this time, Barret knew. Nobody could have survived that explosion. Barret gazed down at the object Dyne had given him at the last minute. It was a locket. He wiped away the soot, and it gleamed dully. He helped Jessie and Biggs up again. It was going to be a long way home.

* * *

"_In headlining news, an explosion in the reactor at Mt. Corel has destroyed the facility. Over two hundred Shinra employees are dead. Authorities are having difficulty identifying bodies, as the heat from the blast incinerated most everything beyond recognition. In the face of all this tragedy, Shinra is trying to determine if the explosion was caused due to a malfunctioning of some kind, or due to another terrorist attack like the one in Midgar. The loss of the reactor has caused the nearby Golden Saucer to lose power for the time being, until a new reactor can be built..._"

Zack tuned the television out as he became aware of another person entering the room. Aerith sank into the seat next to him tiredly, sighing.

"You're back," Zack said in surprise. If he was honest, he didn't think he'd see her for a while.

"I got called back for this," she gestured to the T.V. "It looks like Barret and the others did it. Shinra is doubling up the security on the other reactors, too. Just like we predicted." Far from looking happy, though, Aerith just looked weary.

"What's wrong? Isn't this what we wanted?" Zack asked.

"Yeah...just...I'm sad so many people had to die," she said softly, gazing down at her feet. "I could...I could feel it. All those souls entering the Lifestream."

"You felt it?" Zack asked. In all his time with the Planet in his head, he'd never experienced anything like she was saying.

"Yes. It was terribly sad...but also...revitalizing. The Planet feels more energized now...and with the reactor destroyed, that's one less thing taking away it's energy. So it was kind of a good thing, too. Just...terrible," she whispered, licking at her dry lips. Zack took her hand, tracing the lines on her palm gently.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, then pressed a kiss against her temple. She leaned into him, head resting on his shoulder, and she sighed again. "I missed you today," he told her, hoping to change the subject and make her feel better.

"I missed you, too," she replied, rubbing her eyes wearily. "Unfortunately, I'm going to be gone a lot while all this happens. Rufus is going to suggest sending me to Nibelheim to his father, to keep an eye on things, you know? And Sephiroth is to stay here and guard the city. It's all working out just how we planned...it just means I have to work all the time," she said, smothering a yawn.

"I'm going with you to Nibelheim, remember?" he said, brushing her hair out of her face. She looked close to sleep.

"Right...about that," she said, shifting guiltily. "Maybe it's not such a good idea...maybe I should go alone."

"No way!" Zack said, more loudly than he intended. "I mean...I'll be fine."

Aerith looked worried though, and she rubbed her forehead with her fingers. "It's going to be dangerous...and...somebody might get hurt when the reactor explodes..."

"Aerith," he said seriously, lifting her chin to look her in the eye. "It'll be okay."

"...I don't want you to die," she admitted, her eyes watery. "I don't want you to get hurt. I just want you to be safe."

"And where safer than by your side? You're the SOLDIER, remember?" he said with an easy-going smile. "Besides, if I survived an incurable illness this long, then my hometown won't kill me."

She buried her face into his shirt, clinging to him and shaking her head.

"Don't leave me behind," he pleaded. "I want to be with you...even if it's on some crazy mission to blow up the mountain."

He heard her giggle, the laughter muffled by his shirt. "If you die..." she began, talking into his chest. "You'd better not die," she finished weakly, pulling away to look up at him.

"No way," he promised. "I've got a beautiful girl I want to see after this is all finished." She blushed prettily, smiling shyly.

"...Fine," she relented. "We won't leave until Barret and the others get back, though. I want to hear how it went with them. In the meantime, we have to get you ready for Nibelheim. I don't want you to get hurt because of something silly."

"Hey, me and Cloud are training. So's Tifa. She kicked Rude's butt today."

"Maybe Tifa should be a Turk, then," Aerith said with a laugh.

"I don't think she needs anymore ways to beat me up," Zack said seriously, wrapping his arm around her and tugging her close. He didn't know how long it would be until she had to take off again, but he wanted to spend all the time he could with her.

* * *

It took almost a week for Barret, Jessie, and Biggs to get back home. The whole way home, Barret's anger and sorrow festered inside him like an illness. It was close to midnight when they got back home, but there was a group of people waiting inside the bar for them.

"You're back!" Tifa cried out at the sight of them, looking relieved. "We were worried...it took so long..."

Cloud, Zack, and Aerith were there, too, watchful eyes upon them.

Aerith frowned. "Where's Wedge?"

Barret's fist tightened around Dyne's locket. His jaw was clamped shut, and he couldn't answer.

"Dead," Jessie answered hollowly for him. "He was shot." She said it bluntly, like saying it gently would hurt more than sparing everyone's feelings. But what did these people – mostly strangers – care about Wedge? Barret liked Tifa, Cloud, and Zack well enough, and Aerith wasn't so bad (for a SOLDIER) but at the moment, he couldn't understand why they looked so pale and sad. They didn't know Wedge, not like him. They didn't feel his loss so clearly, like Biggs did. He wasn't like their brother, like he had been to Jessie.

Wedge was no one to them, just a face, a person on their side, and their sad faces in the news of his death just made Barret angry with the injustice of it all.

"I give you my condolences," another voice said, and Barret's eyes narrowed as they fell upon Rufus Shinra, standing in the bar like he owned the place, his hands spread open. "But I see you finished the job anyway, and I commend you for that."

Here was someone Barret didn't feel bad about taking his anger out on. So he did. "You bastard!" he snarled, rushing forward and grabbing up Rufus' pristine suit in his hand, sticking his gun right up under the man's chin. "Don't pretend that you care! DON'T! This is YOUR fault. There were no god damn contacts! You lied!"

Rufus remained calm, in spite of the position he was in. "I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about. I received word that you made contact with him."

"Him?" Barret asked, shoving the President's son up against the wall. "You said there were Wutai contacts waiting for us. We didn' see any!"

"My mistake," Rufus said nonchalantly. "If my contact decided not to make you aware...well, that was his prerogative."

"Who was it?" Barret snarled.

"He was the warden of that pathetic little prison down there. I didn't know him by name," Rufus said. "He went by D."

Barret dropped Rufus in surprise, the room seeming to shrink and spin.

"...Dyne was your contact? _Dyne?_"

"If he was the warden, then yes," Rufus answered, rolling his eyes. Barret grit his teeth, screwing up his face.

"No...don't LIE. Dyne never woulda worked with the likes of you. He hated Shinra!"

"Oh yes, the man was insufferable. Always ranting about getting revenge. But what better way to get revenge than work with an anti-Shinra group? Like him, I kept my identity confidential. He had no idea who he was working with."

The rage was swirling around in Barret now, swelling in his gut. "Dyne's...he's..." Barret spluttered, unable to get the words out, his anger choking them until they died on his lips.

"Yes?" Rufus asked, looking bored. Barret couldn't stand that smug bastard. He hated him, with every fiber of his being.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" he roared and he lunged at Rufus, only to be held back by several bodies, all struggling to contain him. "Let me go! LET ME GO!" he spat, his muscles quivering in indignation. "It's his fault Dyne's dead! Dyne wouldn'ta...he never woulda gotten involved in this mess..."

Rufus regarded Barret coldly, one sleek eyebrow raised on his pale face. "Do not blame me for that man's death. He had a death wish long before I came along, believe you me. He made a choice, just as you did. This is _war. _There will be deaths. He is just the first of many. And although I'm playing my part, I cannot take all the blame. Just think of all the lives you destroyed in the reactor here in Midgar. Think of all the lives you took in Corel. You are just as responsible as me. Do not try to put your guilt on me."

And with that, the man swept from the room, still as haughty and pretentious as when he'd come in, as if unaffected by Barret's threats. Barret collapsed, and the arms holding him hesitantly released him. Rufus' words stung Barret, because there was truth in them. He _was_ responsible. He'd killed his own best friend, and he'd watched as it happened.

"Don't listen to him, Barret," Biggs said quietly, his voice hoarse from days without use. Biggs had not said anything since they left Corel. "We both lost our best friend up there...but we won't let their deaths be in vain. We'll show Shinra. We...won't let them die for nothin'."

"Daddy?" a small voice called out, and Barret turned. Marlene stood at the bottom of the steps, wide eyes apprehensive, skinny little legs sticking out from under her nightie. The shouting had clearly awoken her. "Are you back home, Daddy?" she whispered.

"Yeah Marlene...I'm back," he answered hoarsely, and her little feet pattered on the wooden floors as she ran over to him, throwing herself into his arms.

"I missed you, Daddy," she said, her little arms wrapping around his neck, and Barret squeezed his eyes shut again, fighting back the howl of anguish that threatened to escape him.

"I missed you too, sweetie," he sniffed.

"Daddy...are you crying?" she asked, little hands resting on his wet cheeks. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm okay, sweetie," he replied, all too aware of the locket he'd slipped into his pocket. What would he say when he gave it to her? "I'm jest real happy to see you, kay?" She smiled at him, and for a flash, he could see Dyne's features in that face. He pulled her close again.

_I'll take good care of her, Dyne. I promise. I won't let you down._

No longer able to hold it all in, the grief finally filling him to the brim, Barret wept quietly for his lost friends.

* * *

**A/N: I apologize that this chapter took so long to get churned out. I got stuck a few times. First things ****first, thanks to my beta Full Mental Panic, and also to some help from Mountain Goat, who suggested I use Wing Chun as Tifa's fighting style. I'm rubbish at describing fight scenes, so if you wanna see what it looks like, look up Ip-Man Fights Ten Blackbelts on YouTube.**

** Secondly, if the second half of this chapter seems like crap, it's because I didn't send it to my beta. The first part was beta'd, I wrote the second part, and I just want to be done with this chapter. I don't even want to edit it anymore. So if it starts off great but ends like shit, blame me for the second part. **

** Let's hope I won't take as long on the next chapter, but I can't promise anything. I'm RUBBISH. **

** Please review. I love feedback, truly. **


	18. Travel Plans

******Chapter 17: Travel Plans**

___Feel like I black out, pass out every time that we touch_

___And if it hurts in the morning, then it must be love_

___I want your heart, baby straight, no chasing_

___I wanna feel it in my head when I wake up_

**__****The Cab****_ – _****___Intoxicated_**

* * *

"I'm sure you understand the severity of the situation."

"Of course, Mr. President," Aerith replied.

It was late at night, and President Shinra's office was lit by soft white lights, his expansive windows showing a view of Midgar, lit up, save for the one sector where the reactor had been destroyed. That area of Midgar was like dead space from far above, blackness amongst a city of lights.

"Nibelheim ___must _be protected. After the incidents in Corel and the underwater reactor in Junon, there can be no room for error, so I'm sending the best. And of course, Sephiroth will have to stay here, you understand. With all these terrorist attacks, I wouldn't feel responsible leaving the city unguarded."

___ Yeah. More like you want a bodyguard,_Aerith thought, knowing President Shinra was more concerned for his own safety than that of the city. He was smoothing down the corners of his mustache, and she fought back a frown. She remembered when she was younger, and she used to think his mustache was funny. When he'd get overly excited about things, it would bristle and wiggle around on his upper lip like a small, blonde caterpillar. Now he was absently tracing it with his fingers, like he was calming it down.

"Are Reno and Rude okay?" she asked, prying her eyes away from his mustache. They had convincingly faked their own injuries in Junon to make it appear that they'd put up a good fight, and not that they'd been the ones to blow the reactor up themselves. Although she thought maybe Reno was taking it a little too far – he'd begged her to kiss him better, earning himself a slap across the face. Not that it hadn't been fun to hit him. She smothered a grin at the memory.

"Yes, yes, I think they'll come along fine. Tseng is looking after them, although they may be out of commission for a while. Once they're better, though, I think I'll have them keep an eye on the city as well."

"That's good to hear," she replied perfunctorily. "Well, if you'll excuse me sir. I'll need sleep if I'm going to leave for Nibelheim soon."

"Of course, of course, Aerith!" the President boomed, his ruddy face split into a grin. "I'll sleep so much easier at night knowing you're keeping an eye on the reactor in Nibelheim, you know. I'll have Tseng fly you there before I send him to Fort Condor. Gaia knows we have enough protestors there as it is, going on about some species' eggs and whatnot."

"The Condor, I believe, sir," she replied respectfully while silently wondering if the President even cared at all. Or payed attention, for that matter. It___was_named Fort ___Condor_.

"Oh, you're correct, of course," he said, then waved his hand dismissively. "Off you go, Aerith. Get a good night's sleep." Aerith bit the corner of her lip, struggling against another frown, and quickly mastering the small furrow in her brow. Had he always been so dismissive of matters, or had he become complacent over the years? When she first came to Shinra, the President seemed like such a busy, important man. As she acclimated to life at Shinra, he grew warmer to her until she, in turn, grew to like him. For all his busyness, he made time to ask her how she was doing, how her classes and training were going. Although she hadn't looked at him in the same way she did Tseng, he had been like...a grandpa, she supposed. Older, and sometimes crotchety, but nice when it came down to it. She blinked, startled at her train of thought. It was true – the President had always been nice to her, maybe even more so than to his own son. And some small part of her had cared for him, too. But she knew in no uncertain terms that he would die when it came down to it. She was surprised to find herself feeling sad about it.

But now he was staring at her, smile fading, because she'd been standing still for too long without an answer.

"Yes sir," she said with a strained smile, inclining her head toward him. She thought of what her friends would say if they knew how sorry she felt for the man in front of her, when most of the world loathed him. They might scoff, or worry about her sanity – but they couldn't know her side of it, and she wouldn't expect them to. As she lifted her eyes to meet his again, she smothered a sigh between her lips. She knew he was a ruthless man, sometimes to the point of cruelty, but she'd seen a side that few ever had, or ever would, and she thought that maybe...maybe he did was he did because he was lonely. All he knew was how to take, take, take, and never how to give. He was trying to use power and wealth to fill a void for something else. In fact, he seemed quite sad and a little pathetic, and the pity welled up in her. But pity or no, he was destroying everything, and nobody would settle for letting him live, even if he were to give up power.

But she knew he never would.

She swept out of the room, thoughts swirling, knowing she wouldn't get any sleep tonight. Her speculation about President Shinra was replaced with worry for Zack and her friends, now that the time for Nibelheim had finally come. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she very nearly ran into Cissnei, managing to stop herself in time.

"Oh! Sorry," Aerith apologized, placing a hand on her forehead and pushing her hair back. "I wasn't...I was thinking. I didn't see you."

"I've been looking for you," Cissnei said, her fist clenching and relaxing, the only indication that she was nervous.

"Oh? Well...I'm headed to bed," she said, widening her eyes meaningfully.

"I'll just walk with you then," Cissnei said.

Aerith glanced at her friend, biting her lip. "So are you...still tired?" she asked hesitantly. She really wanted to ask if Cissnei was still upset, but she knew Cissnei would understand anyway.

Cissnei shrugged. "I don't know...a little." She picked at the cuffs of her jacket, a miserable look flashing across her face before she masked it again.

"I've missed talking to you," Aerith ventured.

"I...do you know who's been behind the attacks?" This was Cissnei's way of asking if Aerith was involved. In response, Aerith nodded shortly, barely perceptible if anyone else was looking her way. "I see," Cissnei mused.

"The President's sending me to Nibelheim...Sephiroth is staying here to protect the city. I wouldn't mind having you along...if you're not busy."

Cissnei tilted her head, looking at Aerith out of the corner of her eye. "Will anybody else be with you?" Cissnei asked. She wanted to know if Zack would be coming, Aerith knew. Again, Aerith bobbed her head in reply. Cissnei's eyes seemed to darken, and she shrugged. "I'm not sure. I'll have to see what my schedule looks like. I'll let you go now," she said, her voice stiff and formal. It made Aerith's stomach sink.

"Okay. It was good talking to you, Cissnei," she told the other girl sincerely, smiling sadly. Cissnei offered no reply, so with her feet feeling like lead, she turned away.

"Aerith," Cissnei called after a moment, and Aerith paused, glancing back. "I've missed talking to you, too." And then Cissnei walked away.

Another sigh escaped Aerith. Cissnei may have missed her, but not enough to get over her problem with Zack. ___She's trying, _Aerith reminded herself. Aerith just hoped that all the trying would amount to something in the end. Though she felt weary with her burdens, she made her way for the exit instead of heading to her own room; it was time to update the others.

* * *

Zack never did well with being cooped up, so it was to nobody's surprise when he escaped the confines of the bar and headed for the upper sector, promising to stay safe. It was risky, but he was going crazy locked up. That, and he had no intention of spending the days he thought he wouldn't live to see sucking down stale air and watching miserable drunks in a bar in the slums. He went after dark so as to draw less attention to himself, and he left his weapon behind. A giant sword would be slightly conspicuous.

He'd slipped through a small market and took a train up to the main city. Above the plates, the air was cleaner and cooler, and the moon shone down brightly, lighting the back alleys where lights had flickered out. Even though it was stupid and dangerous, Zack's feet led him toward Shinra HQ, an incessant pull in his chest tugging him there. He stared up at the tall building, marveling for a moment that he'd somehow been able to escape the place. He shuddered as his brain drudged up fuzzy memories of needles and strange liquids, and a thin, gaunt-faced man with glasses administering them.

Zack shook himself and tore his gaze away from Shinra. A fountain gurgled happily nearby, and a ways away, he could see the Loveless district. Aerith had told him enough about the area surrounding her workplace for him to know that much.

Aerith...she was in that building right now. Everyday she went back, the more he began to worry that someone would discover what she was really up to. Maybe that was what led him here – that nagging feeling that wouldn't go away. He rubbed at his face agitatedly, then jogged up a set of stairs, leaning against the railing once he reached the top, and just stood, waiting. He took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down, but his nerves hummed with the energy from the city. Even at night, it felt alive, and in the distance he could hear people laughing, and further away, the shrill shrieks of sirens. He wanted to go out there and join whoever those people were, to laugh and joke and forget about the weight of everything pressing down on him.

But he continued to breathe deeply, and his body started to relax, although his ears pricked at every sound, and he felt hyper-aware of the cool air cradling him. He closed his eyes and listened, and felt, and he pretended he was just a statue in the city, waiting, and learning, and never worrying about anything, except for maybe birds and their tendency to crap all over statues.

That was how Aerith found him, creeping up on him like a whisper from the shadows. He felt her before he saw her, sliding next to him, and he felt a spark of life return to him, and his worry for her spilled away. She was okay.

"What are you doing here?" she asked softly, her breath warm and light on his ear. He leaned toward her slightly, shrugging his shoulders as way of response.

"I'm not really sure. I had to get away...for some reason, I came here."

Her hand was gripping his arm firmly now, and he could nearly sense her own worry, tingling up his spine like electricity.

"It's dangerous to be here," she said, disapproval layering her tone.

"You walk into danger everyday. I'm behind bulletproof glass, compared to you," he retorted, turning his head to face her. Her face was drawn up in concern and maybe a little anger. He brought his hand up and smoothed the wrinkles on her face away with his thumb, and she gave him a resigned sort of sigh.

"I know you're tired of hiding."

"It's not the hiding that bothers me so much as the waiting, of doing nothing."

"Well, you'll be happy to hear that President Shinra has ordered me to go to Nibelheim," she murmured, sounding less than pleased herself. "All according to plan."

"This is what we wanted," Zack reminded her.

"Yeah. I know. I've just been thinking...what do we do after this? If we survive."

"I suppose we live," Zack said seriously.

She stared up at him quizzically, her eyes sparkling pools of green liquid. As good as Aerith looked in the light of day, Zack was even more taken with the way the moonlight made her skin glow. He decided he'd have to take her out at night more often.

"Surviving is one thing. I've been doing it for years. Living...well, I'd like to try my hand at it," he said with a wry smile, sparking Aerith's own crooked grin.

"What does one do when they're living?" she asked in a hushed tone, leaning into his side comfortably.

"I'm not sure yet," he admitted. "Maybe it's traveling all over the world. Or maybe it's just being happy wherever you are and whatever you're doing...or maybe it's starting a Chocobo Farm," he added lightly, earning himself a breezy laugh from Aerith.

"Chocobos _are _cute."

"Exactly," Zack chuckled, slipping an arm around her waist. "But...whatever I end up doing, you'd better be there, too. Otherwise it'd all feel like a waste of time."

Even in the faint glow of the night, he could see the blush that stained her cheeks.

"You mean it?"

"You bet." He leaned down to steal a kiss, but she dodged him, shaking her head.

"Not here – people are always watching, and you never know who it'll be," she told him.

"So? I'm still dressed like a SOLDIER. No one will ever know," he said, flashing her what he hoped was a compelling smile.

She merely raised her brows at him, smiling. "You do look good," she said appreciatively, tugging at the dark sweater vest. "Maybe too good, for a SOLDIER," she added.

"What? There are no other handsome SOLDIERS?" Zack asked, silently pleased with her praise. "What about Sephiroth? I'm sure he's...good-looking," he said, making a face. "If you like guys with silky, long tresses," he added, pretending to sweep back a mane of hair. "He must get all sorts of crap in his hair, it's so long. How does he wash it?" Zack asked, scrunching up his face as he tried to imagine maintaining that much hair. "Like, does he just use a hose or something? Or does he have a team of fans to lather shampoo into his hair for him?"

"Seph does have a lot of fans," Aerith agreed, laughing at his ridiculous thoughts. "And what do you mean? Your hair's getting long," she told him, her hand reaching up to brush a lock from his cheek, her fingers casually dragging across his skin.

"I'd have to let it grow out for about ten more years to get it as long as Sephiroth's," he said seriously. "Not to mention, I'd hate to see how messy it would get if I let it grow out that much." He ran a hand through his unkempt hair. "Then I really would look like a porcupine."

Aerith laughed at the visual. "That would be something to see."

"Hmm, I bet. Everybody would know you as the girl that was dating 'that furry thing'. I really should get a haircut, soon," he said thoughtfully.

She smiled at him again, then threaded her fingers through his. "I like it this length. It makes you look...oh, I don't know. Older, I suppose. In a good way," she added, seeing his mouth open to make a smart aleck comment.

"So anyway," he said, returning to the previous subject at hand. "No one will recognize me, and they won't care if you're kissing me."

"You are persistent," she said, rolling her eyes. "You don't think anyone would find it odd that I was standing out here, kissing an unknown SOLDIER?"

"No," Zack grinned. "But I think they would be incredibly jealous."

Aerith laughed loudly at this, then quickly clapped her hand over her mouth, eyes darting around guiltily. "You know, my entire fan club would be so disappointed to find out I was off kissing _some guy_."

"Since when am I ___some guy_?" Zack asked in mock hurt. "And wait – you have a fan club?"

"You'd be some guy to them. And yes, I do," she said with a sly grin.

"Huh. I could have a fan club if I wanted. I'm pretty great."

"Hrmm," she hummed, taking a step back and eyeing him critically. "I don't know...I think you need a scar or something. To show that you've had great battles," she teased.

"I don't have any remarkable scars to speak of...but I do have a very interesting birth mark if you'd like to see it," he said, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"I do not want to see your birth mark," she laughed, pushing him away. He caught her arm, smiling at her.

"Maybe another time." He pulled her back to him, leaning down to snatch a kiss, wanting just a taste of her. He'd never been very good at having 'just a taste' of anything, though, and so the quick kiss rapidly turned into something more prolonged as she pressed against him, body molding with his.

Despite her earlier protests, she seemed just as eager to kiss him back, to his delight. Her hands snaked up and rested on the back of his neck, encouraging him closer to her. After a long moment, he withdrew, moving swiftly back in to kiss at the pulse point on her neck, feeling the thrum of her heartbeat beneath his lips. It seemed to him that it matched his own, a lovely cadence to their personal symphony.

All the sensations he was experiencing made his head swim so that his thoughts didn't make sense; he just knew he wanted her to feel everything he was feeling, to melt into her until they weren't two parts so much as one whole. His brain struggled to keep up, categorizing everything it could about her with his senses: the way she felt crushed against him, soft and warm, the way she smelled sweet and flowery, the taste of her skin and the smoothness that assaulted every nerve in his lips, and the way her soft sighs and quickened breathing seemed to implore him for more.

He could feel the pressure of her fingertips on his arms now, as well as a growing heat that exuded from Aerith, increasing until he had to pull away for fear of being burnt.

He gave a muffled exclamation of surprise as his lips left her neck, and she dropped his arms hastily, looking embarrassed.

"Sorry," she breathed, hands coming up to her face.

"You almost burned me," Zack said, bewildered.

"I know...I'm sorry. That hasn't happened in...years." Her face was flushed, from mortification or from their activities, he couldn't tell.

"What do you mean?" he asked, trying to slow his racing heart. He was still having a hard time thinking straight, and she looked so tantalizing, cheeks pink, green eyes dark and sultry.

"I was always naturally inclined toward magic when I was younger...but I couldn't always control it," she said sheepishly. "Sometimes magic just happened, responding to how I was feeling at the time. I learned to master it over the years. I just...I haven't lost control in a long time," she said, her mouth twitching up into a smile. "Well...I suppose except for when we met in Nibelheim and my magic tried to cure you automatically."

"Oh...so I make you lose control?" he said teasingly.

"...I guess so," she said seriously, watching him through half lidded eyes, and a shiver raced along his spine. She stepped into him once more, clutching his vest as she kissed him again, this one slow and savoring, her mouth still laden with heat from her magic, but no longer burning. The heat suffused from that point of contact until he was brimming with it and dizzy with magic.

"Aerith? Is that you?" a voice interrupted, and Aerith retreated with a gasp, leaving Zack swaying stupidly for a moment, blinking rapidly to clear his hazy thoughts. A SOLDIER was approaching them, and the desire that had been lazily sluicing through Zack was quickly replaced with alarm. He swallowed, reminding himself that the SOLDIER wouldn't know who he was.

"Kunsel!" Aerith replied, brushing her hair back. "Erm..."

The SOLDIER – Kunsel – was looking between Zack and Aerith, and Zack thought he looked a bit crestfallen.

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend," he said carefully, focusing solely on Zack, eyes squinting.

"Oh, well...yes, this is...him..." Aerith trailed off, biting her lip. Zack understood – she couldn't introduce him without putting his life in danger.

"Do I know you?" Kunsel asked, still staring at Zack. "You seem...familiar."

"Uh, no buddy. I'm just...new to Shinra and SOLDIER."

"You're in a 1st Class uniform," Kunsel said flatly, and Zack felt stupid.

"Uhhh, yeah, they just, erm, loaned it to me...my other uniform is...at the dry cleaners..." he made up wildly on the spot.

"Wait...I _do _recognize you! You're that prisoner they brought back from Nibelheim...the sick guy."

"No, no, I think you've got me confused with someone else," Zack said quickly, shaking his head and waving his hands rapidly.

"No, I remember you, I -"

Aerith placed her hands on Kunsel's arm without warning. "_Sleep_," she intoned, and Kunsel slumped then began to collapse. Aerith caught him easily, holding him up with apparent ease.

___Right. Super SOLDIER strength. Forgot about that._

"Remind me not to get on your bad side," Zack said, smiling weakly.

"I told you it was dangerous to be up here," she sighed, sounding more resigned than angry. "Come on, we'll have to take him with us. We can't let him go back to Shinra now that he's seen you." She hefted him over her shoulder like a sack of grain. It was an odd arrangement, such a small looking girl carrying a person without strain.

He told her as much. "That looks ridiculous," he said.

"Even so, we've got to get out of here."

"What are we going to do? Keep him prisoner?" Zack asked, exasperated.

"If we have to," Aerith shrugged, Kunsel's head rolling as she moved. "But then, perhaps we can persuade him."

* * *

"How many damn SOLDIERS are you gunna bring to our hideout?"

"Sorry, Barret," Aerith said, hiding a grin. "But he saw Zack and recognized him."

"Shit, whaddid I tell ya?" Barret glared at Zack.

"Uh, you told me to go wherever the hell I wanted and to stick it to Shinra."

"And that was code for 'don't be so damn stupid'!"

"Right. How could I misunderstand that?"

Barret merely shook his head and trudged back to the pinball machine, which Aerith had only recently learned was an elevator to a secret room under the bar.

As Barret disappeared, Zack grinned excitedly. "I totally want one of those in my house one day."

"A pinball machine, or a secret room?" Aerith asked, setting Kunsel down into an empty chair.

"Yes!"

Aerith smiled, then stepped back from Kunsel, considering him seriously.

"What are we going to do with him?"

"I dunno, aren't you Turks all about making people disappear?"

"We can't kill him!"

"You don't have to kill him. Can't you just...relocate him?"

"It's not like he'll forget who he is if we ship him off to the most remote corner of the world. Besides, maybe we can convince him to join the cause."

"How?"

"Well, he's smart. Kunsel knows what's happening usually before anyone else does," she said with a grin. "And he's logical. He shouldn't be hard to convince."

"And he likes you," Zack said, nudging Kunsel's shin with his foot.

"What?" Aerith stammered, her cheeks heating. She knew he did, of course, but she didn't know how Zack knew that from about a minute of seeing him.

"What do you mean, what?" Zack chuckled. "I saw the look on his face, heard the jealousy in his voice. I mean, I do have a crazy best friend who gets jealous if anyone so much as looks at Tifa. I can read the signs."

"Oh...and what about you? Are you jealous he likes me?"

Zack laughed again, smiling assuredly. "No, I'm sure there are lots of guys who like you, Aerith. I'm not worried, to be honest."

"Oh? You're not?"

"Nope. I know you love me. Or did you forget?"

Aerith shook her head, rolling her eyes at his complete confidence. Then again, it was part of why she admired him.

"Well, that may be true, but I wouldn't mind if you _did_ get jealous," she told him. This made him snort.

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind for next time. I'll totally shoot a death glare at the next guy who gives you a lingering glance."

"Sounds like a plan," she said cheerfully. "Anyway, back to the matter at hand. What should we say to Kunsel when he wakes up?"

"Just bat your eyelashes and use your feminine charm to convince him. Then lean forward a bit, let him catch a glimpse of your...assets, I'll glare at him -" he grinned and winked. "Then, BAM! He's in, even if you tell him to put on a dress and start up ballroom dancing."

"Did you buy drugs from someone before we met up? I will not 'show him my assets'," she huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. She watched as Zack's eyes drifted down from her face and he smirked before looking back up.

"That's not helping your point at all," he said, and Aerith's face burned. "I'm feeling pretty open to anything you might suggest."

"How about being serious?" she sighed, uncrossing her arms to push him. He danced out of the way, then took a deep breath.

"Sorry. Getting serious. Just feeling a little loopy."

Aerith bit her lip guiltily. Her leaking magic earlier may have been a contributing factor to his loopiness. In spite of getting caught, that kiss had been worth it, she thought.

Kunsel groaned in the seat, and Aerith was jolted from her thoughts.

"Maybe we should have restrained him," Zack said, and as Kunsel started to move, Zack darted froward and twisted Kunsel's arms behind the chair.

"Aerith?" Kunsel groaned, blinking groggily. "Where am I?"

"I can't tell you...sorry, Kunsel."

Kunsel craned his neck back to squint at Zack. "You don't have to restrain me. I'm not going anywhere."

"I think you can let him go," Aerith told Zack. He shrugged and dropped Kunsel's arm, stepping away from him warily, like Kunsel might jump up at attack.

"So," Kunsel began, rubbing at his arm. "You're Zack. You're looking much better." Zack didn't say anything in response.

"How do you know Zack?" Aerith asked instead. There was no point in pretending otherwise. Like she had told Zack, Kunsel almost always knew what was going on.

"I was in charge of watching his cell sometimes, remember?" Kunsel said, shrugging. "How did you escape? And why aren't you sick anymore?"

"That's not really important," Zack said shortly, making a face.

"He's right. What's more important is that you listen to me, Kunsel."

"Let me guess: you're a double agent. You're helping out AVALANCHE while you pretend to still be working for Shinra."

Aerith sighed, putting her palm to her forehead. "You know too much for your own good," she said.

"It wasn't that hard to figure out, honestly. You were pretty broken up after Zack escaped, and then you just take off to Nibelheim with Sephiroth...not to mention after you came back, you'd disappear for periods of time, and suddenly reactors all over the place are being blown up, even after Shinra sends in extra security. Do you have the Turks working with you, too?"

"Really, where do you get your information?" Aerith asked, half exasperated, half impressed.

"I just keep my ear to the ground. If you know what to listen for, you can pick out the truth from the rumors."

"Well, you're right. Just...I know everyone says it, that Shinra's destroying the Planet...but it's the truth. But even if they weren't, I think they'd still need to be stopped," Aerith said, fidgeting a little. Maybe it was the guilt from working with the company for so long prodding her conscience.

"Ah. Are you referring to the decline in job opportunities? The rise in sickness and mortality rates? Crops dying out? The increase in monster activity?"

Aerith nodded. "To name a few. Or the experiments that Shinra's conducted," she said, thinking of Sephiroth and Jenova, and Hojo's cruelty and wickedness; she almost blanched when she remembered that Zack had been in the scientist's clutches. She was overwhelmingly grateful that he'd escaped unscathed, and she reached over and grabbed his hand. He gave her a small smile and squeezed back. "They're inhumane."

"Those are all good reasons, but I think we've known that Shinra hasn't exactly been the cleanest of companies for a long time. Why the sudden motivation?"

Aerith hesitated. "It's...it's complicated. But...I suppose if I'm going to ask for your help, you deserve to know," she said, taking a halting breath. She briefly explained the Cetra and her relation, and how she was connected to the Planet. Kunsel looked surprised, which was a new look for him. He normally already knew everything. He took a deep, steadying breath, then blew out slowly between pursed lips.

"So what do you want me to do?" he asked.

Aerith smiled. "Well...here's what we need..."

* * *

Zack watched as Aerith fastened another button on his jacket, biting her lip as she worried.

"Okay, so we'll meet you three at the Chocobo Ranch," she said for the hundredth time.

"Right," Zack said, humoring her. They couldn't just go with her to Shinra and hop in a helicopter – even the stupidest people would notice that, and while Shinra was many things, stupid was not one of them. Heading to Kalm would have been an easier (and shorter) trip, but Aerith was worried about the small town's proximity to Midgar. Zack thought she was being a little paranoid about it, but he also supposed that she knew what she was talking about, and they didn't want anyone reporting to Shinra that three random strangers got into a helicopter with Shinra's renown 1st Class Mage.

As a result, they were going extremely out of the way as a precaution, and heading out almost a week before Aerith was scheduled to leave for Nibelheim. They had to walk, too, because nobody had a car, and Aerith couldn't just lend them the motorcycles on display in the Shinra building (to Cloud's disappointment). Zack was looking forward to the adventure of it all, though, so he didn't mind the walking so much. On the other hand, his feet might begin to disagree with him after a while.

"But be careful on the way there," she said quickly. "Don't make too much noise, you'll attract all sorts of monsters. Oh, I should have sent Kunsel with you," she fretted.

"He's needed back at Shinra, remember?" Zack reminded her gently, placing his hands on top of hers. "You know, keeping his ear to the ground and getting the Conversion ready." The Conversion was Aerith's plan, one she'd made up almost on the spot. Zack had to admire that skill, because in his situation, he'd probably just tell Kunsel to wing it and hope for the best.

"I know. He's just doing what I asked. But I'd feel better if you had somebody with experience going with you."

"I do have experience. Even better, now I have a sword, and so does Cloud. Plus, you should have seen Tifa beat Rude the other day. Cloud says it was awesome. We can take care of ourselves," he assured her.

"People and monsters aren't the same. Monsters are much stronger, much faster-"

Zack pressed his finger to her lips to hush her. "Monsters are easy to understand, though. They'll attack to protect their territory or if they're looking for a quick snack. People...well, they're motivations are much harder to understand. So, we'll simply try to avoid monster territory and tone down how delicious we are," he said with a smile.

Aerith rolled her eyes, but he'd succeeded in making her smile, too. "Just be careful."

"Got it," Zack said. Marlene tugged on his pants, and he looked down to the little girl. She was bundled up and gazing at him expectantly.

"I'm ready to go," she told him. Zack grimaced and knelt down next to her.

"Aw, Marlene, I wish you could come, but you can't." Her dark eyes started to well with tears, and Zack sensed a tantrum in the makings. "You have to stay here and protect the base," Zack told her seriously. She blinked and sniffed back her tears.

"I do?" she asked, lower lip wobbling.

Zack nodded emphatically. "I can't trust anyone else to keep this place running. Let's face it, if you leave, this place will crumble. I mean, do you think your dad can keep this place a secret?" Zack shook his head negatively. "Nope. He's a blabbermouth."

Marlene giggled. "I can keep the base secret," she whispered.

"I know! You're the best secret keeper I know. So I'm leaving you in charge."

"Okay!" she agreed, nodding so vigorously that her body shook.

"Awesome. I knew I could count on you."

Cloud and Tifa appeared at the door, packs slung onto their backs. "Ready?" Cloud asked, looking slightly apprehensive.

Zack shrugged. "As ready as I can be, I guess." Marlene threw herself into his chest and hugged him fiercely.

"Don't get in trouble," she warned. "'Cause I'm the boss now and I will be mad if you do!"

"I'm surrounded by worry-warts. I'll be fine!" Zack laughed.

They left the bar together, but their destinations were in opposite directions – Aerith's back at Shinra, and Cloud, Tifa, and Zack's out of the city, off to Kalm.

"I think I'll have to agree with Marlene here," Aerith said, squeezing his hand. "Don't get into trouble. Or ___I'll_be mad," she told him with a tired, anxious smile.

"You be careful, too," Zack told her, brows furrowing.

She smiled a little wider, then pulled him down for an earnest kiss. He heard Cloud and Tifa snickering behind him, and he would have turned around and glared, but he was pleasantly preoccupied.

"Okay. I'll see you soon," she said, hands sliding away from his face.

"Yeah," he agreed, but neither of them moved.

"Bye," Aerith said, but still didn't make to leave.

"Bye," he parroted back. He felt Cloud and Tifa come up behind him and begin to drag him away.

"Sorry, but we'll be here all day if we wait for you two. Let's go, lover boy," Cloud said.

"Bye Aerith," Tifa called merrily as she helped Cloud tug Zack away.

Zack let them carry him until Aerith was out of sight before he finally struggled free.

"I can walk," he said, glaring at the pair of them.

"Sure," Cloud laughed, holding his hands up. "You guys are worse than us."

"We are not!" Zack scoffed. "If I had five gil for every time you guys lingered saying goodbye, I could buy Shinra for what it's worth."

"Now that's an exaggeration!" Cloud said.

"Come on boys, let's see if we can beat Aerith there," Tifa interrupted.

"How on Gaia could we beat a helicopter?" Cloud asked, staring at Tifa like she'd lost her mind.

"Oh hush," she berated, and Cloud shut his mouth.

"Whipped," Zack coughed into his hand.

"If I'm whipped, then you're churned into creamy smooth submission," Cloud shot back.

Tifa rolled her eyes, groaning. "Honestly, it's like you two are a married couple, the way you bicker."

"...Gross!" Zack and Cloud chimed in tandem.

"Zack is so not my type," Cloud muttered.

"There's no way I would steal Cloud from you, Tifa," Zack pronounced.

She laughed. "Like you could if you wanted to."

"I so could! You think I'm handsome, don't you Cloud?"

"Please kill me now," Cloud moaned into his hands.

Zack laughed and threw an arm around Cloud, making kissy faces at him.

"Get away you spaz!" Cloud yelled and shoved him away.

"See Tifa? He totally wants me – he's just too shy to admit it."

Tifa just shook her head, then paused, gazing up at the great wall they'd reached. "Here it is – city limits."

"You guys traveled here – how is it out there?" Zack asked, becoming serious again.

"I never thought I'd miss the mountains, but everything is so empty out there," Cloud said thoughtfully.

"Monsters?" Zack asked.

"A few, but maybe we were just lucky."

Zack tapped his chin, squinting at the wall. A wall for safety...but also a prison. "Hmm. Well, no use in waiting around. Let's go," Zack announced, feeling a mixture of apprehension and excitement. It was more excitement than anxiety, if he was honest. He was curious to see what was out there, after having spent all his life living in small towns. He wanted to see the world, and even though he was only making a quick venture into it, this was his chance to broaden his horizons. "You know, it's really nice that they have these emergency exits on the outer walls," Zack remarked as the clear doors hissed open. From what Aerith had told him, every sector had one, each one imprinted with the number of that sector. There were all sorts of scanners that were supposed to keep monsters from entering the city, but over the years, many of the doors' scanners malfunctioned, and in neglect, were never repaired. "I would hate to scale this beast."

He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised to see the barren stretch of dirt that radiated outward from Midgar. If he squinted, he thought he could catch a hint of green at the horizon, but it could have been his imagination.

"What more proof do we need that the Planet's dying?" Zack asked sadly, scooping up a handful of dirt and letting it sift through his fingers.

"It gets a little better as you move away from the city," Tifa said.

"Except for the monsters," Cloud chimed in.

Zack pulled a folded map from his back pocket. It was one Aerith had given him days before as they prepared for the inevitable journey. "Right, here's the Ranch," he pointed to the southwest. "We just have to cross all these grasslands and over this tiny little mountain range and we're there!"

"Tiny little mountain range?" Cloud scoffed.

"That's like...one billion miles away Zack. Why did you let Aerith convince you to go all the way out there?" Tifa asked, aghast. So maybe he hadn't told them how far away the farm was when he told them to pack up...

"Hm? Oh, no, Aerith wanted us to go to Junon," he said, poking the city on the map. "But I said we should go to the farm instead."

"What? Why?" Cloud shouted, sounding a little angry.

"I wanted to see your cousins, Cloud. I just have to know if chocobos are as fluffy as your hair," Zack shrugged with an impish grin. Cloud tackled him to the ground, and Zack shook with laughter, barely fighting back.

"I can't believe you're making us walk all the way out there," Cloud huffed, face red as he finally sat back on the ground. Zack rose, still chuckling, and brushed the dirt off his clothes.

"Come on. It'll be an adventure guys!" he cheered enthusiastically.

They rolled their eyes, and Zack grinned in triumph. He knew the lure of chocobos would win them over.

* * *

**A/N: Soo...I didn't mean to make you lot wait so long for this...sorry. I actually had all of this written for a helluva long time, but I thought I was going to be writing more, then I sent it to my beta for help, and I was basically told that it was long enough as it is...so everything else that I had planned for this chapter will be in the next one. And I don't know when I'll write it. ._.; Later. When I get out of my writer's funk. Meh. And then even when I got this chapter beta'd, I just let it sit for a while on my computer while I mulled over what I wanted to do. Because I almost scrapped the whole thing. Then I just went back and did some editing. So mucho thanks to my beta, Full Mental Panic, and also thanks to everyone who's reviewed and who's still even reading this damn thing, because I know I take too long to update. ;-; I'm sorry!**

**Also, I couldn't give two chocobos about the longass journey to the farm, so I'm probably going to skip it next chapter. Haha. **

**Finally, you can blame some of my absence on the fact that I accidentally got sucked into Glee and now Brittany/Santana is my OTP. Everything is Brittana and nothing hurts. -love-**


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